Patterned Tiles from Oe-ri, Buyeo

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.343

Category

Craft

Era

백제시대(7세기 초기)

Designated year

1963

Location

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

Coordinates

37.524041, 126.980350

These are tiles from the Baekje Dynasty on which a variety of patterns were inscribed and then baked. They were found in March, 1937 at an old temple site in Oe-ri, Gyuam-myeon, Buyeo-gun, Chungcheongnam-do. They are almost square with about 29 centimeters on a side, 4 cm thick. On the four corners, there are holes to connect the tiles. There are total of 8 patterns: Sansumunjeon (Landscape Design), Sansubonghwangmunjeon (Landscape and Phoenix), Sansugwimunjeon (Landscape and Demon), Yeondaegwimunjeon (Lotus and Demon), Banyongmunjeon (Crouching Dragon), Bonghwagmunjeon (Phoenix), Waunmunjeon (Cloud), and Yeonhwamunjeon (Lotus Design). Sansumunjeon has a pattern with a mountain which has three peaks, a cloud in the upper part and water in the lower part. Generally it has a regular and balanced arrangement of landscape and evokes a delicate atmosphere. Sansubonghwangmunjeon also has a mountain with three peaks in the upper part and landscapes in the lower part. In Sansugwimunjeon, there is a demon pattern on a rock with the cloud pattern like a wave, while in Yeondaegwimunjeon, a demon pattern stands on a pedestal with a lotus flower pattern. Banyongmunjeon has a dragon pattern entwined in a circle of beads. Bonghwangmunjeon has an elegant Bonghwang (phoenix) pattern in a circle. Waunmunjeon has a lotus flower pattern in the center with eight cloud patterns around it. Yeonhwamunjeon also has a lotus pattern in a circle of beads. The characteristics and the skills shown in these patterns were influenced by those of the Southern Dynasty of China, while Baekje in turn influenced Japan. These patterned tiles are valuable materials, because through them, we can make suppositions about the art of the Baekje period.

Location