This terracotta model of a house, was not discovered as part of some larger miniature city; instead, it was uncovered from a tomb. Why would someone houses inside a tomb? In antiquity, the Chinese believed that the afterlife was an extension of our earthly existence. Thus, it was the custom to bury alongside the deceased ornate representations of daily life. Pottery models of houses structures were commonly included in Eastern Han burials to provide for the afterlife. This grand two-story model was placed in a tomb to be used for eternity by the tomb occupant. Its architec­tural power reflects the prestige of this person. The model of house would have served as a symbolic and permanent abode for the spirit of deceased throughout the afterlife.