Earthenware Horn Cups with Horse Head Decoration

The Earthenware Horn Cups with Horse Head Decoration are horn-shaped cups (gakbae) decorated with horse heads, excavated from Tomb No. 7 among the tombs at Bokcheon-dong, Dongnae-gu, Busan. A gakbae originally referred to a cup made from an animal horn such as an ox horn, but the term is generally used more broadly to include vessels of clay or metal made in the shape of a horn cup. Numerous horn cups of various forms have been excavated from tombs in the Silla and Gaya regions, and this pair is an outstanding masterpiece among them. The larger cup is 14.4 cm high and 17 cm long, while the smaller is 12.1 cm high and 17 cm long; although they differ in size, their overall form and manufacturing technique are nearly identical. A horse head was modelled and attached to the pointed base of each cup, and two small legs were attached behind it to keep the cup from toppling over. The overall form of the horse head captures the characteristic features of a horse's expression, including the ears, eyes and nose. The surface of the cups still bears marks left by carving with a tool similar to a chisel.

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Where it is

Region

Seo-gu, Busan

Designation

Treasure · 보물