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Horse
Qin dynasty (221–206 BCE)
Not on view
The Qin were known for their expertise in raising horses, a knowledge likely gleaned from their nomadic neighbors. By the late Eastern Zhou period (771–256 B.C.), they employed large numbers of horses to pull chariots, creating a formidable force on the battlefield.
The present example was one of thirty-two horses found in a single pit. They were accompanied by eight chariots and twenty-four charioteers, meaning that there were four horses and three soldiers for each chariot. This horse is heftily built with alert eyes, pointed ears, a well-trimmed mane, and a knotted tail—all characteristics of Qin war horses.
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