China: Sogdian man wearing a hat and face veil, a camel rider or possibly a Zoroastrian priest, fired clay, Tang Dynasty, 8th Century, Museum of Oriental Art, Turin / Torino. Photo by Sailko (CC BY-SA 3.0 License)

An 8th-century Tang dynasty Chinese clay figurine of a Sogdian man wearing a distinctive cap and face veil, possibly a Zoroastrian priest engaging in a ritual at a fire temple, since face veils were used to avoid contaminating the holy fire with breath or saliva.

Alternatively, from the posture, the figurine may represent a Sogdian camel rider on the Silk Road covering his mouth and nose against the sandstorms of the Taklamakan Desert in Xinjiang.

Copyright:

Supplier: CPA Media Co. Ltd.

Photographer:

Sailko (CC BY-SA 3.0 License)

Credit:

Pictures From History