Celadon Sajahyeongttukkeong Incense Burner

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.2163

Category

Craft

Era

고려 12세기 전반

Designated year

2022

Location

태안군, 충청남도— 충청남도 태안군 신진대교길 94-33 (근흥면, 국립태안해양유물전시관)

Coordinates

36.677197, 126.151412Kakao address conversion

This English description was machine-translated and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the original Korean text for details.

The celadon lion-shaped incense burner lid represents a Goryeo-period ritual vessel comprising a round body paired with a four-legged pedestal stand, with multiple matching two-piece sets totaling four complete examples. These artifacts were recovered from the 'Taean ship' discovered in 2007-2008 waters off Taean's Great Island. Wooden records bearing 'Tamjin' and 'Choe Dae-kyung' inscriptions allowed scholars to establish that this merchant vessel transported celadon produced in Gangjin during the 12th-century first half, destined for the capital Gaegyang when it sank at sea. The shipwreck excavation yielded approximately 25,000 celadon pieces and numerous additional artifacts. The sculptural lion crowning the incense burner lid exhibits distinctive characteristics: raised front paws with an upright curled tail, a small bell suspended from the neck, and a sacred pearl held symbolically between front and rear limbs. The lion's proportions display a remarkably large head relative to body size, with widely opened mouth exposing visible teeth and protruding tongue rendered in meticulous detail. This sculptural treatment creates an aesthetic entirely distinctive from typical Goryeo celadon representations. Though portions of the earthenware remain incompletely refined during kiln-firing processes, this irregular appearance paradoxically demonstrates the technical difficulty inherent in sculptural celadon production. As documented evidence of Goryeo ceramicists' distinctive aesthetic tastes mentioned in historical Chinese sources, this lion-shaped incense burner exemplifies the unique artistic achievements accomplished through international cultural exchange during the Goryeo dynasty.

Location