Samurai (侍) were the Japanese military nobility and officers caste from the middle ages to the late 19th century. They were warriors known for their terrifying skills with weapons. Initially, their responsibility was restricted to arresting rebels and collecting needed army provisions but their obligations gradually expanded and thus the samurai-class appeared as the political ruling power in Japan. Emperor Meiji abolished the samurai's right to be the only armed force in favor of a more modern, western-style army in 1873. The samurai retained some of their salaries, but the right to wear a sword in public was eventually repealed along with the right to execute commoners who paid them disrespect. This small carving shows a samurai in full body armor sitting cross-legged. The expression on his face is quite benevolent and he does not have the fearsome appearance of the average samurai. The carving is signed Zheng Mei (正美). Height 4.8 cm. Width 3.4 cm. Depth 2.8 cm.