Song Dynasty, 960-1127 AD or later. A pair of provincial terracotta lokapala, guardians of tradition, standing with their hands held together; dressed like elite Song infantry, with long coat of lamellar armour, round helmet fitted with wings, leather padded coat with shoulder protections and scale reinforcement on the breast, sleeved tunic and thick pointed boots; traces of colour still visible.See Peers, C.J., Imperial Chinese Armies (2), 590-1260 AD, Oxford, 2002, for representations of warriors and discussion; a similar guardian warrior is visible on the Northern Song Imperial Tombs, Gongyi, Henan Province, tomb of the Emperor Zhenzong.13.7 kg total, 77cm each (30 1/4"). From a West Country collection, 1990s; formerly with a Hong Kong gallery.By the time of the Song Dynasty, the synthesis of local and Central Asian traditions produced a style of armour destined to remain unchanged for centuries in China. The best infantry wore armour, sometimes paper scale armour, invented during the Tang Dynasty. Song soldiers were also distinguished by their long hair and leather boots. The represented warrior was probably copied by a member of the Imperial Guard Shiwei majun bujun or Palace Corps Dianqian mabu jun. [2]

Finely modelled.