What is the earliest use of figurines?

The earliest use of figurines was as sacrifices. A large number of bronze figurines have appeared in the cultural relics unearthed in Sanxingdui in the Xia Dynasty, which were mainly used for sacrifices. At that time, it was still a human sacrifice! Therefore, the earliest use of figurines was not buried with them!

The figurines are small figures made of pottery, wood, bronze and other materials, which are intended to replace the living with the dead. Figurines began to appear in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. Its predecessor was a living person who was buried. Human martyrdom was extremely cruel, and it was very popular in the Shang and Western Zhou Dynasties. A large number of live slaves and soldiers were used for martyrdom. Since then, this method of burying human-like imitations has become increasingly common, and clay, pottery and wood have been used to make simulated human figures, which are figurines. Therefore, the appearance of figurines itself should be a manifestation of social progress.