This stone sculpture depicts a kneeling ram slightly lifte by its fore legs.  The animal kneel on a square slab mount with a protruding mound beneath its belly. The curved horns follow the line of the jaw and neck tucked betwee pulled ears.  A delicately carve face reveals the realistic aspects of the animal as well as its gentle an docile attributes.


Chinese stone spirit road statuary represents a stron and ancient branch of monumental sculpture based on beliefs connected wit ancestor worship and the importance of tombs. The tradition had existed since the Han Dynasty although the belief i the inherent power of an image to bring about that which it represented o symbolized predates Han stone statuary.  Thi belief that an image could influence both the material and spiritual worlds wa magnified through the association of stone with immortality. The Song differe from their predecessors by producing images of animals for purely symboli reasons.  Sheep (or rams) and tiger appear in their ancient traditional form derived from Bronze Age figurines--th kneeling sheep symbolizing filial piety; the tiger, martial valor.