Pottery Tomb Pillar with a Squatting Guardian Figure on Top at The British Museum, London

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Such monumental pillars, adorned with apotropaic figures at the top, were strategically placed in underground brick tombs to support the lintel of the doorway. The Han dynasty was a period of unprecedented economic prosperity and witnessed significant growth of the money economy first established during the Zhou dynasty. The coinage issued by the central government mint in 119 BC remained the standard currency of China until the Tang dynasty. This era saw a number of limited institutional innovations to accommodate the expansion. To fund its military campaigns and the settlement of newly conquered frontier territories, the government nationalized the private salt and iron industries in 117 BC, but these government monopolies were repealed during the Eastern Han period. Science and technology during the Han period made significant strides, including papermaking, the nautical steering rudder, the use of negative numbers in mathematics, the raised-relief map, the hydraulic-powered armillary sphere for astronomy, and a seismometer employing an inverted pendulum. This object is part of "Scan The World". Scan the World is a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory, through which we are creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from across the globe for public access. Scan the World is an open-source community effort; if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help. Scanned using photogrammetry (Processed with Agisoft PhotoScan).