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Saddle plate
Sixteen Kingdoms, Former Yan (337–370)
Gilt bronze
Front plate: max. w. 17 3/4 in. (45 cm)
Excavated at Chaoyang, Liaoning Province, 1988
Liaoning Institute of Archeology
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This elegant saddle plate was found in the northeastern province
of Liaoning, an area briefly controlled by members of the nomadic
Murong Xianbei who had entered the region from further north sometime
in the third century. Ruling as the Former Yan (337–370),
they briefly controlled the northeast as well as parts of north
central China such as Henan Province. The plate is decorated with
an openwork pattern composed of hexagons enclosing fantastic animals
and birds. First found in territories controlled by the Murong
Xianbei, this distinctive design would spread northwest to Pingcheng
in Shanxi Province, the first capital of the Northern Wei dynasty
(386–534), ruled by the Tuoba Xianbei, as well as east to
the Silla kingdom (57 B.C.– A.D. 668) on the southeastern
edge of Korea.
A Closer Look
In the third century, the nomadic Xianbei moved from northwest
of China's borders into the northeastern and central provinces
and briefly ruled this part of China. The horse was their means
of conquest. This gilded and ornately decorated large saddle plate
immediately communicated to all viewers that the owner was high
ranking and prosperous. Because of their nomadic lifestyle, the
peoples who lived in the steppes region favored portable objects
of adornment and status, such as belt buckles, hair ornaments,
and saddle decorations.
This saddle plate is made of hammered bronze that were cut, engraved,
and finally gilded. The openwork pattern, composed of hexagons
enclosing fantastic animals and birds, is distinctive to one of
the Xianbei tribal groups of this time. The plate would have been
fastened onto a wooden saddle seat, which was probably covered
with leather or fabric. The two diamond-shaped holes were for
decorated bolts that fastened the saddle plate to the wooden frame.
Intricately decorated imaginary animals and birds in dynamic postures
ornament this saddle plate. The scrolling appendages that emanate
from these figures contribute to the sense of movement and ornamentation.
In general the artistic styles of the nomadic peoples who roamed
the Eurasian steppes were characterized by animal imagery and
energetic designs. These animals included natural species as well
as composite creatures, reflecting the nomads’ keen observation
of life in the wild and their highly
innovative sense of design.
In keeping with their desire for objects that created immediate
visual impact, the nomadic tribesmen favored gold, silver, and
colorful gemstones. In contrast, as revealed by Bronze
Age jades and bronze vessels, the Chinese traditionally preferred
materials with more muted and matte surfaces.
Notice
• The striking intricacy of the fanciful birds
and animals with scrolling appendages
• The variety and combination of different geometric and
organic patterns
Consider
• The need for portable possessions in a nomadic
lifestyle and the usefulness of wearable ornaments that can
convey identity and status at a distance
• The visual impact of a rider approaching swiftly on
a horse with such an impressive saddle. (Imagine how it looked
when the gilding was still intact and glittering in the sunlight.)
Compare the appearance of someone seated in a saddle with this
plate and the effect of a king seated on a gilded throne.
Visit the Met
• Similar designs decorate a gilt bronze Set
of Ten Belt Plaques (1994.605.2a-k) from the Western Jin dynasty
(265–317), on display in the Charlotte C. Weber Galleries.
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