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The Hidden Level In Space And Time: The Vertical Shaft In The Royal Tombs Of The Zhongshan Kingdom In Late Eastern Zhou (475–221 Bce) China, Jie Shi

History of Art Faculty Research and Scholarship

Among the best preserved royal tombs in early China, the tombs of the Zhongshan state (dated to the late fourth to early third centuries bce) in present-day Pingshan county each featured a concealed earthen shaft in the middle of the tomb. Constructed with rammed earth, this gigantic

structure was located above the underground burial chamber, where the deceased’s casket and body were located, and below the freestanding offering hall that housed the deceased’s soul. Although this empty shaft would eventually be buried and become invisible, it was carefully embellished and sometimes even decorated with false architectural elements. What role did …

To Die With The Buddha: The Brick Pagoda And Its Role In The Xuezhuang Tomb In Early Medieval China, Jie Shi

History of Art Faculty Research and Scholarship

The important late fifth- or early sixth-century brick tomb at Xuezhuang in Dengxian (Henan) features a brick form at the rear wall, which remained mysterious until it has recently been shown to represent a Buddhist pagoda. This discovery sheds light on the purpose of the burial chamber, featuring the novel combination of vaulted ceiling, colonnade, and pagoda, as simulating an Indian-derived Buddhist temple (caitya). To reinforce this Buddhist context, the burial chamber simultaneously imitates the structure of a Buddhist votive stele (zaoxiangbei 造像碑), in which various Buddhist images, including the Buddha and bodhisattvas, apsaras, worshippers, and guardians, are carefully organized. …

Meaningful Mingling: Classicizing Imagery And Islamicizing Script In A Byzantine Bowl, Alicia Walker

History of Art Faculty Research and Scholarship

No abstract provided.