Earthenware Funerary Object in the Shape of an Auspicious Animal

This earthenware funerary object in the shape of an auspicious beast was excavated from Tomb No. 3 in District C, among the tombs in front of the Tomb of King Michu in Gyeongju. It has the body of a turtle and stands 15.1 cm high, 17.5 cm long, with a base diameter of 5.5 cm. The head and tail are shaped like a dragon's, and the trumpet-shaped stand at the base is pierced with square holes. Two pointed horns rise from the spine, and long streamers hang from the body — one at the front and one at the back, and two on each side. The head is raised high in an S-curve, and on the neck are five horns like those on the spine. The eyes are opened wide, the upper and lower lips curl outward, and the tongue is stuck out long. The tail undulates like a wave, then bends in a T-shape and stretches almost horizontally toward its tip, where horns are likewise attached. A long spout for pouring liquid is fixed to the chest, and a bowl in the shape of a rice bowl is attached to the hindquarters. The surface of the vessel is a deep blackish grey. The stand and spout are modelled after various animal and plant forms, a style commonly found in the figural earthenware of the Old Silla period, yet the underlying conception of the piece is highly novel.

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Where it is

Region

Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk

Designation

Treasure · 보물