Gifts for Eternal Life, Figurative Pottery in Diverse Vessel Forms

In ancient times, funerary rites were based upon the perception that death was not the end but marked the continuation of this life in the world beyond.

This perception led to the custom of building great tombs furnished with a rich array of grave goods, which can be observed in the regions of Silla (57 BCE - 676 CE) and Gaya (42 CE - 562).

The people of Silla and Gaya used figurative pottery in the form of birds, auspicious animals, horns, horses, carts, boats, houses, lamps and more as grave goods.

The use of such figurative pottery also reflects the perceptions of those people who lived 1,600 years ago, who believed in the afterlife.