Terracotta scale models of grain silos

The three legs, shaped like crouching bears, are a consistent motif and appear frequently in this type of model. The rectangular opening at the bottom represents a door or hatch through which the contents could be removed. The word rice, millet, barley or grain is sometimes written in Chinese characters on the front.

These funerary models, which were connected to agriculture and showed reverence for farming in ancient China, became increasingly popular among the Han aristocracy and landowners. Especially during the Han period, wealthy individuals spent fortunes on burial rituals and constructed enormous, elaborate tomb complexes to ensure a well-provided and secure existence in the afterlife.

These models of grain silos differ from later reproductions through their kiln-fired construction and natural burial accretions.