Female Chimera
University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
#C657
Location: China, Henan Province
Stone
Probably 2nd or 3rd century AD Han dynasty 206 BC 220 AD
Chimera-combination of lion and dragon features. Since Han Dynasty, pairs of Chimeras were placed on either side of avenues leading up to burial mounds of imperial personages to glorify and protect the tombs from evil spirits.