Funerary Brick: Tomb Guardian

Our relief was once part of a larger composition decorating the interior walls of a tomb or the sides of a masonry coffin. Conceived in high relief, our guardian protected the coffin or stood at the entrance of the burial chamber to fend off human intruders and evil spirits. Pictorial bricks with images in high relief became a common feature in Buddhist temples, caves and pagodas during the Northern Wei period.