Roof ridge ornament (Chimi)

  • Korea, Three Kingdoms, Baekje, Sabi period (538–660)
    Excavated from the temple site at Mount Buso, Buyeo, South Chungcheong province
    Earthenware
    H x W x D (greatest): 91.4 x 73.7 x 56.1 cm
    Buyeo National Museum, buy 1085
    © Buyeo National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage

    Excavated at a Buddhist temple site in the capital of the Baekje kingdom, this roof ridge ornament is believed to have crowned the main hall where images of Buddhist deities were installed. The arched opening at the bottom would have been used to secure it to the main roof ridge. The stepped pattern on the body matches the lines of adjacent piled tiles that originally covered the main ridge of the roof. The lotus medallion on the smooth, flat surface between the wings resembles the design on round roof tile ends that were unearthed at the same site.