For a discussion of horses without trappings, refer to William Watson, Tang and Liao Ceramics, New York, 1984, p. 200, where he suggests ''that on such bare animals, harness and caparison were probably made of parishable materials, which - like the horse tail and mane - have vanished without trace''.

The result of Oxford thermoluminescence test no. 766a74 is consistent with the dating of this lot.