English: Sancai sculpture Chinese Tang tomb figures

North China, probably Henan province Tang dynasty, early 8th century

These figures are reputedly from the tomb of Liu Tingxun, a Tang dynasty official who died in AD 728. The group includes four guardian figures, two in the form of fabulous animals (one with a human face) and two in the form of standing Lokapala, or Heavenly Kings (tian wang), usually seen in the entrance of Buddhist temples. There are also two officials; on civil and one military; the military offical with armour over his robes and a bird of prey on his hat.