"This glazed ceramic model of a watchtower shows all the essential features of Han architecture. The basic unit is an enclosure defined by four corner piers with a widely overhanging tile roof supported by a system of cantilevered brackets. In addition, the house has a second roof over the first story, which is elevated on a stepped platform; an exterior staircase; elaborate latticework screens that shield the third story; and a circular central window on the top floor.
A great variety of architectural models were placed in Han tombs for use in the afterlife. This imposing mansion symbolizes the high status of the person buried in the tomb. Stylistically, the date and northern Chinese provenance of this house are confirmed by a number of archaeologically excavated pieces, most notably a green-glazed model of a four-story tower discovered in an Eastern Han tomb in Gaotang County, eastern Shandong Province."
Works Cited
Information and Picture: http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection-online/search/49519?rpp=30&pg=1&ft=han+dynasty&pos=3
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