China, a monumental pair of 500 year old lime stone “Spirit Path” Equine horse heads:

A the smaller 32.5cm, 13” high and 62.5cm, 25” in length and with display stand, 60cm, 24” high;

b the larger 37.5cm, 15” high and 67.5cm, 27” in length and with display stand
65cm, 26” high.

Ming Dynasty, (1368-1644 CE).

A pair of near life size and robust fragments missing their lower body parts with fine, wavy combed manes, well defined mouths, ears, nostrils, and ornamental bridles, all carved in a medium to dark gray limestone with considerable weathering to surfaces. The smaller head with a later inscription on bottom and signed “Zhuang”. Formerly exhibited “Treasures from Asia”, Shelburne Vermont, Shelburne Art Center, 2006. Originally found in the vicinity of the village of Chuan near Luoyang City, Henan Provance, China.
Each mounted on a custom iron display stand.

Catalog Reference: Schneible Fine Arts catalog:   35 Years Collecting 35 Treasures  page 60.

Examined by Chang Qing, Ph.D. Senior Fellow of the Institute of Archeology,
Beijing Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS).

History:
Placing stone animals and human figures along spirit paths in front of important tombs can be traced back at least to the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BCE), some two thousand years ago. In ancient times, stone animals and human figures placed before imperial tombs symbolized royal power and
privilege in addition to decorative functions. Life size “spirit path” stone horse sculptures are known and can be viewed from Ming dynasty tombs including thirteen imperial tombs of the Ming Dynasty scattered over an area of forty square kilometers in Changping District to the northwest of Beijing.  The first Ming tomb was built in 1409, and the last one in 1644.