Three Kingdoms Korean

[Duncan Head]

First, Khurasan have just announced that their 15mm Three Kingdoms Koreans are out - see http://khurasanminiatures.tripod.com/three-kingdoms-korean.html. Lovely-looking figures.

I thought, looking at them, that the only thing missing was shielded infantrymen - the 4th-century tomb of Dong Shou (Anak no.3) has shielded halberdiers and also shielded swordsmen in the "parade" scene. So, second, while browsing around for pictures, I found the best photo of this tomb-painting that I have yet seen. Go to http://koreana.kf.or.kr/main.asp?volumn=18&no=3&lang=; find "Historic Remains Recognized by UNESCO" and click on one of the PDF links next to it - the letters are language abbreviations, so most of us will want English.

So third, I found something in that picture that I'd not noticed before. There are two figures, one either side of the riderless led horse towards the centre of the procession - they can be seen in the extract I have attached. Each has a sword in his right hand, a typical Chinese-style single-edged ring-hilted dao; and in his left is a bow-shaped object. Does anyone have any idea what this might be? It isn't a bow - there are archers in the procession with shouldered bows, and they're shown quite differently.  I did wonder if it was a Han-style parrying-blade, but the fancy recurved tips and the tassels don't look right for that. Some kind of musical jingle or symbolic shield for a sword-dance, perhaps - the guys do seem to be dancing about. Any ideas?

[Patrick Waterson]

My knowledge of the culture and period is sadly lacking, but they do seem to be close to the head of the procession of musicians carrying and beating gongs and a bell, so given their proximity to the noise-makers they might be the visual entertainment part of the procession along with the bannerman and the man leading the apparent unicorn, the latter perhaps intended as a make-believe girin (ki-rin).   This admittedly brings us no closer to identifying the objects the soldiers are carrying apart from suggesting they may be for display rather than combat.

Thoughts from someone with more knowledge would be very welcome.

[tadamson]

I'd go with dancers, and a parrying weapon.  At least one of them has a drum at his waist (the reddish barrel shaped thing).

The generals horse has an eagles feather through the headband, to show that it's a fast, well bred horse descended from a Chollima (a "thousand-li horse,").

Tom..

[Duncan Head]

I don't think that's a drum at his waist - it's a plume on the horse's rump, you can see where it's attached.

But dancers are looking the most likely, yes.