Accession Number
LTL2009.7.7

Title
Roof-end tile with lotus design

Artist(s)
Korean

Artist Nationality
Korean (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
676-935

Medium & Support
earthenware

Dimensions
5 9/16 x 5 9/16 x 1 3/16 in. (14 x 14 x 2.9 cm)

Credit Line
On loan from the YooGeum Museum, Seoul, Korea

Label copy
Two types of tiles were used in the construction of traditional ceramic roof structures in Korea. One type, called ammaksae, was flat with a slight curve in the cross-section (or side view). It was placed concave side up, directly on top of the roof supports. The other type, called sumaksae, was semicylindrical and placed convex side up to cover the joined edges of the flat ammaksae tiles. When completely in place on a roof, ammaksae tiles alternated with rows of sumaksae. Rain rolled off the curved spine of the sumaksae rows and ran down the gutters formed by the ammaksae tiles. The terminal ends of both the ammaksae and sumaksae rows were capped by roof-end tiles, which were usually decorated and visible on the edge of the eaves. Crescent-shaped roof-end tiles capped the ammaksae row, while round roof-end tiles capped the tiles on a sumaksae row.
The Buddhist lotus, readily adapted into a medallion shape, became the favored motif for decorating roof-end tiles on sumaksae tiles after Korea’s adoption of Buddhism in the fourth century. At first the lotus medallion was simple: the seedpod contained few seeds, the petals were few, and their forms were wide and fleshy. Toward the end of the Three Kingdoms Period, the lotus design became more complex and linear and the petals more narrow and flat. In the Unified Silla Period that followed, other floral medallions were introduced. The lotus often appeared in combination with a bosanghwa (precious visage) motif, a stylized floral pattern that symbolized the sanctity of Buddhism. Thousands of these Unified Silla circular roof-end tiles have been unearthed at the Pond of Geese and Ducks, a manmade water feature that was part of a large-scale pleasure resort in Gyeongju, the Silla capital.
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The lotus was an Indian Buddhist symbol and its first recorded use was in the fifth century. A flower that remains unstained even when growing in mud, it was a common motif found in Buddhist art. The lotus represents purity and innocence and its unfolding blossoms allude to the potential of human beings to shed ignorance and darkness in order to attain wisdom and light.
(Korean Gallery Rotation, Fall 2010)
Gallery Rotation Fall 2010
Roof-end tile with lotus design
Korea, Unified Silla Period (668–935)
8th–9th century
Earthenware with molded decoration
Loan from YooGeum Museum, LTL2009.7.7
The lotus was an Indian Buddhist symbol and its first recorded use was in the fifth century. A flower that remains unstained even when growing in mud, it was a common motif found in Buddhist art. The lotus represents purity and innocence and its unfolding blossoms allude to the potential of human beings to shed ignorance and darkness in order to attain wisdom and light.

Subject matter
Roof-end tiles like this one cap rows of alternating concave and convex tiles called ammaksae and sumaksae. Roof-end tiles are usually decorated and visible on the edge of the eaves. Crescent-shaped roof-end tiles cap the ammaksae row, while round roof-end tiles like this one cap the tiles on a sumaksae row. When completely in place on a roof, ammaksae tiles alternated with rows of sumaksae. Rain rolled off the curved spine of the sumaksae rows and ran down the gutters formed by the ammaksae tiles.

Roofs made from interlocking ceramic tiles kept cold air, wind, and rain from entering a house. Due to their heavy weight, the structure supporting the roof had to be very strong. Expensive to produce, roof tiles were typically found on the homes of aristocrats and government officials, and on Buddhist and Confucian ceremonial buildings.

The Buddhist lotus, readily adapted into a medallion shape, became the favored motif for decorating roof-end tiles on sumaksae tiles after Korea’s adoption of Buddhism in the fourth century. At first the lotus medallion was simple: the seedpod contained few seeds, the petals were few, and their forms were wide and fleshy. Toward the end of the Three Kingdoms Period, the lotus design became more complex and linear and the petals more narrow and flat. In the Unified Silla Period that followed, other floral medallions were introduced. The lotus often appeared in combination with a bosanghwa (precious visage) motif, a stylized floral pattern that symbolized the sanctity of Buddhism.

Physical Description
This circular tile has circular designs of a range of sizes. At the very center has a small circle, with a ring around it. Surrounding this are six evenly spaced small circles, which result in an overall six-petalled stylized floral-like design. Surrounding it is another thin circular band, and another circle of evenly spaced dots, enclosed by another circular band. This design at center thus far represents a lotus seedpod. Extending from it are eight petals, with another ring of eight larger petals set behind them. Finally, another ring pattern of two thin circular bands with small dots between them creates the border of the tile.

This dark gray, high-fired earthenware convex eave-end roof tile features a two-tier, eight-petal lotus design. It is made from fine clay mixed with numerous fine stone particles. Two concentric tiers of eight petals surround a flat, circular ovary that contains a single central seed surrounded by six others. A circular band, also containing seeds, runs around the outer edge of the ovary. The tile edges show signs of trimming and smoothing with water in a lateral direction. Traces of natural glaze are visible on the front of the tile .

[Korean Collection, University of Michigan Museum of Art (2017) p. 38]
 

Primary Object Classification
Ceramic

Primary Object Type
tile

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. Keywords
Korean (culture or style)
lotus (motif)
roofs
tile (materials)