Editing Xianbei (section)

===Horses===
The nomadic traditions of the Xianbei inspired them to portray horses in their artwork. The horse played a large role in the existence of the Xianbei as a nomadic people, and in one tomb, a horse skull lay atop Xianbei bells, buckles, ornaments, a saddle, and one gilded bronze stirrup.<ref>{{cite journal |first=Albert E. |last=Dien |title=The Stirrup and Its Effect on Chinese Military History |journal=Ars Orientalis |volume=16 |year=1986 |pages=33–56 |jstor=4629341 }}</ref> The Xianbei not only created art for their horses, but they also made art to depict horses. Another recurring motif was the winged horse. It has been suggested by archaeologist Su Bai that this symbol was a "heavenly beast in the shape of a horse" because of its prominence in Xianbei mythology.<ref name=nomadic/> This symbol is thought to have guided an early Xianbei southern migration, and is a recurring image in many Xianbei art forms.