Excavated at Izushi-machi, Hyogo 7th century.
Height 15.5cm, Length 21.0cm, Body height 7.8cm. These single horse-shaped ceramic artifacts, along with those of shi wares, were used for a special purpose.
Many of the excavated sites are ritual sites or water-related sites such as wells. They were dedicated to water deities to pray for rain or sunshine.
Although this vessel is poorly made by simply twisting clay, each part is faithfully represented, and thin clay cords are pasted to represent various kinds of ornaments. Horses with such accessories were made only during the Kofun period, and after the Nara period (710-794), bareback horses were gradually produced.
