[MSN] China. Han Dynasty stone horse stolen. The stone sculpture, weighing five tons, was located in a village in the Weicheng district of Xianyang

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Han Dynasty stone horse stolen

A stone horse dating from the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-220 A.D.) was stolen 
in Xianyang, a city in northwestern China's Shaanxi Province, the /Xi'an 
Evening News/ reported on Saturday.

picture: Local residents move stone statues to a nearby station for 
safe-keeping after a five-ton stone horse was stolen.

The stone sculpture, weighing five tons, was located in a village in the 
Weicheng district of Xianyang, a city famous for its importance during 
the Qin Dynasty (221-C206 B.C.) and Han Dynasty.

It was reported missing early Thursday morning by a local villager 
during his morning exercise.

The stone horse is one of a pair that watches over the tomb of a Han 
emperor who died in 188 A.D. The horses, together with another group of 
stone statues, were carved around 25 A.D. and 220 A.D., respectively.

In 2002, local residents built a station near the statues to keep an eye 
on them, and supervision was taken over by the official cultural relic 
protection department in 2005.

Some people wanted to buy the pair of horses in 2002 but were refused, 
local villagers said.

"We are still wondering how the horse could be stolen when the station 
is just hundreds of meters away," one said.

Local police are investigating the case while other stone statues have 
all been moved to the station for better protection, the report said.

http://www.china.org.cn/english/