National Treasure 195: Long-necked Jar with Clay Figurines - Seoul - Korean Historic Sites on Waymarking.com

Two examples of this national treasure are on display. This one is in the Silla Kingdom showroom at the National Museum of Korea. The other example is at the Gyeongju National Museum (186, Iljeong-ro, Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do). Both examples are described on the Cultural Heritage Administration website. The treasure at the National Museum of Korea (in Seoul) is the jar with waves of lines on the neck and body. The source of the following description is cited.

This doll is called tou (a doll made of clay) in Korean. Tous often represent the shapes of various animals, daily necessities, houses and people. There are multiple purposes for tou: as a toy, sorcery and burial. Though almost all of them were made from clay, some were made of bones, horns and even twigs. The first letter ‘to’ means clay or earth, and the last letter ‘u’ means a doll. A long-necked jar decorated with clay figurines discovered in Tomb No. 30 alongside Gyerim-ro is 34cm tall and 22.5cm in diameter at the mouth. Another long-necked jar was found in Tomb No. 11 in Nodong-dong Village. It is 40.5cm tall and 22.5cm in diameter at the mouth. 1) Characteristics of the Long-necked Jar from Tomb No. 30: 1. The four prominent stripes on the neck. 2. It is round on the bottom and forms a pout near the mouth.3. Five lines are on the body. 4. The body is divided the upper and lower parts. 5. The tou celebrate life: a man and woman engaging in a sexual intercourse, animals such as rabbits and snakes, and a woman, ripe with child, playing a traditional Korean instrument. These figures are attached to the dish's neck and shoulder area. Though damaged when discovered, this dish has been fully repaired to its original state. 2) The Long-necked Jar from Tomb No. 11 in Nodong-dong. The characteristic are as follows: 1. The mouth of the dish projects outward a little. 2. The neck is divided into two parts in terms of projective lines. 3. Five waves of lines are engraved on the neck. 4. The waves of lines are on the body as well. 5. There are a fewer number of dolls decorating the dish than the one mentioned above although the shape of the body is nearly the same. The production and use of these dolls were to fend off evil spirits. However, their simple yet emotional forms have given these dolls artistic value and historical meaning in addition to their religious use.

Type of Historic Site: National Treasure Official Designated Number: 195 Province or Metropolitan City: Seoul Relevant Web Site: [Web Link]

Visit Instructions:
Give the date and brief description of your visit. Additional photographs are appreciated.

Recent Visits/Logs:

There are no logs for this waymark yet.