Tile
Unknown Artist
Medium
Earthenware
Dimensions
H. 2 in. (5.1 cm); W. 11 in. (27.9 cm); D. 5 1/2 in. (14 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Culture & Period
China · Qin–Han dynasty (221 B.C.–A.D. 220)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1910
Accession Number
10.202.23
Art Historical Context
This earthenware tile, originating from China's Qin–Han dynasty ( B.C.–A.D. 220), offers a glimpse into one of the most transformative eras in Chinese history. The Qin dynasty unified the empire under Emperor Qin Shi Huang, famous for the Terracotta Army while the Han period ushered in a golden age of innovation, expansion, and cultural flourishing. Measuring a modest 2 inches high by 11 inches wide and 5½ inches deep, this rectangular tile likely served an architectural or decorative purpose, adorning tombs, walls, or palaces. Crafted from earthenware—a low-fired clay common in early Chinese...