The figures are unimportant !! You can find hundreds of different ones on various pottery types !! Could be Greek mythology or any country or could be simply made up figures !! If you looked at the bottom it tells you who either made it or at least painted it !! It says,, 1974 by Sonja !! It looks like Sonjo but I think that is an incorrect spelling !! There is or was a Sonjjo tribe of Africa but this item is modern !! The rest is unimportant and is likely the pattern or mold number/id !! It is not hand made !! The 1970`s and 80`s were big times for ceramic shops and most towns had at least one or two !! I think your vase is someones hobby piece from that era !! That is my opinion !! The 1974 and the name is not engraved but was hand written while the vase was still greenware !! Greenware is still soft and you can scratch the name and date in before firing !! This was typically done because there were usually several items that the shop would be firing and may have been purchased by several people !! It was a way to make sure you got the one you painted back after firing !! These hobby shops had classes on decorating and painting/glazing ceramics !!