Celadon Melon-shaped Bottle

Basic information

Designation

National Treasure No.94

Category

Craft

Era

고려시대(12세기 전반)

Designated year

1962

Location

용산구, 서울특별시— 서울특별시 용산구 서빙고로 137 (용산동6가, 국립중앙박물관)

Coordinates

37.524041, 126.980350

With height of 22.8 centimeters and mouth and foot rim diameter of 8.8 centimeters each, this exquisite celadon bottle was excavated at the tomb of King Injong (r. 1122-1146) of Goryeo located in Jangdan-gun, Gyeonggi-do along with a book dated 1146. The bottle consists of an upright melon-shaped body, a fairly long neck with the flaring mouth shaped like a six-lobed flower, and a rather tall foot shaped like a pleated skirt. The entire body is evenly and lightly coated with light jade green glaze that made the Goryeo celadon ware so widely admired. Noteworthy is the fact that, in connection with its production site, shards of the same type of celadon ware have been discovered at Sadang-ri Kiln Nos. 7 and 8 in Gangjin, Jeollanam-do, although similar works have been excavated at some Goryeo tombs as well as some Cizhou Ware sites and Jingdezhen kilns in China. Produced in the early 12th century when Goryeo reached the zenith in its celadon art, it is widely regarded as the most beautiful melon-shaped celadon vessel discovered so far with its graceful, charming body nicely coated with attractive jade green glaze.

Location