LATE KOFUN PERIOD (6TH-7TH CENTURY)

This monumental haniwa horse sculpture from the Late Kofun period exemplifies the sophisticated clay modeling techniques of 6th to 7th century Japan, when such hollow earthenware figures were placed around elite burial mounds. The work demonstrates remarkable naturalistic attention to the animal's musculature and proportions, with carefully rendered details in the mane, saddle trappings, and facial features that reflect the period's contact with continental Asian cultures. As a funerary object, this haniwa served both a ceremonial function and a testament to the deceased's status and wealth.