Accession Number
1973/2.35A&B

Title
Cinerary urn with circle-and-dot design

Artist(s)
Korean

Artist Nationality
Korean (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
7th century

Medium & Support
stoneware with stamped decoration

Dimensions
3 15/16 x 4 11/16 x 4 11/16 in. (10 x 11.9 x 11.9 cm);2 1/16 x 4 11/16 x 4 11/16 in. (5.1 x 11.9 x 11.9 cm);2 x 4 5/16 x 4 5/16 in. (5 x 10.9 x 10.9 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. Caroline I. Plumer for the James Marshall Plumer Collection

Label copy
Gallery Rotations Fall 2012
Cinerary urn with
circle-and-dot design
Korea, Unified Silla period (668–935)
7th–8th century
Stoneware with stamped decoration
Gift of Mrs. Caroline I. Plumer for the James Marshall Plumer Memorial Collection, 1973/2.35 A&B
Buddhism spread throughout Korea during the fourth century,
and Koreans adopted the Buddhist practice of cremation.
Unglazed gray stoneware urns like these held ashes of the deceased. Sometimes the urns were placed inside granite containers before burial. Many similar urns have been unearthed in the vicinity of Gyeongju, the capital of Silla. Although modest in size, these funerary vessels have an intriguing shape. The horizontal stretch of the squat body is counterbalanced by the convex and concave curves of the lid, culminating in a pointed knob. One of the
knobs is button shaped. The other two knobs are in the shape
of a cintamani (wish-granting jewel), a Buddhist object that
has the power to shine even in darkness, thus symbolically enlightening the ignorant souls in its presence.
The stable, masculine form shows the pervasive influence of
Tang-ruled China, the staunch ally of Silla. But the designs—incised triangular shapes and impressed concentric circles
or impressed dots within partial circles—are characteristic
of Unified Silla decoration. This stamped decoration would
later contribute to the development of slip-inlaid decoration
on Goryeo celadon and Joseon Buncheong ware, which are on
view in this gallery.

Subject matter
This jar is designed to hold relics of the deceased. The knob at the top of the lid is in the shape of a cintamani ("wish-granting jewel"), which could have also had significance in its function.

Physical Description
Stoneware jar with natural ash glaze and rounded lid. Along the widest horizontal stretch is an incised circle-and-dot design. A design of concentric circles also loops around just as the rounded curve of the lid begins to flatten into a plateau on which a cintamani style knob rests.

Primary Object Classification
Ceramic

Primary Object Type
jar

Additional Object Classification(s)
Ceramic

Collection Area
Asian

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.