Special Exhibitions
Past ExhibitionRoof-tiles make space: Roof-tiles of Yeongnam Province Seen through Newly Excavated Materials
- Period2016-06-14 ~ 2016-09-18
- PlaceSpecial Exhibition Gallery, Gimhae National Museum
- Organizer
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Exhibition Title: `Roof-tiles make space: Roof-tiles of Yeongnam Province Seen through Newly Excavated Materials’.
Exhibition Period: June 14, 2016-September 18, 2016
Exhibition Venue: Special Exhibition Gallery, Gimhae National Museum
Exhibited Artifacts : Brick with lotus flower design unearthed from the Songrim-ri Kiln Site in Goryeong and other 300 pieces of objects.
Gimhae National Museum and Korean Association for Archaeological Heritage open a joint special exhibition, `Roof-tiles Making the Space: Roof-tiles of Yeongnam Province Seen through Newly Excavated Materials’ in June 14-September 18, 2016.
The exhibition is comprised of four sections: Prologue `Clay joined in human culture`; Section I `Making roof-tiles’; Section II `Looking with scientific eyes’; and Epilogue `Roof-tiles making the space’.
The Prologue displays pottery and roof-tiles reflecting the traces of human life made with clay.
Section I consists of four sub-sections: Sub-section 1 `How did potters produce Roof-tiles?’; Sub-section 2 `How were roof-tiles used?’; Sub-section 3 `Gaya did not use roof-tiles. Really?’; and Sub-section 4 `Vestiges reflecting roof-tile potter`s desire’.
Sub-section I explains the technological development of early roof-tiles, focusing on the subject of `from pottery potters to roof-tile potters’. In addition, the roof-tile production process is displayed with newly excavated materials. In particular, this sub-section exhibits meaningful relics of the late roof tile master Han Hyeong-jun, Important Intangible Cultural Property No. 91.
Sub-section 2 is divided into `Silla roof-tiles, from royal capital to local areas’ and `The Goryeo and Joseon Periods when roof-tiles were extensively used’. This sub-section well shows the circumstances in which roof-tiles were deeply embedded in people`s daily life as the demand for roof-tiles, the symbol of ancient states, extended into the private sphere.
With the discovery of roof-tiles at the site of Songrim-ri in Goryeong as a starting point, the possibility of the existence of Gaya roof-tiles that have been less known than those of the Three Kingdoms is examined in Sub-section 3. This sub-section provides an opportunity for people to observe directly Gaya roof-tiles by displaying most of the roof-tiles uncovered from the capitals of Gaya, such as Gimhae and Goryeong.
Taking the discovery of cow bones at the Sopo-ri Roof-tile Kiln Site in Haman as an opportunity, Sub-section 4 examines the interrelationship between production and rites with other clay objects including clay figurines.
Section II plans two subjects: `Material change patterns by firing temperature’ and `Microscopic world of minerals contained in clay seen by polarizing Microscope’. Section II seeks to show that clay, the main resource of roof-tiles, can show new aspects through scientific eyes.
Epilogue aims to recognize the facts that roof-tiles have been closely with peoples since the Three Kingdoms Period when these were first produced, and provided comfortable life space by displaying house-shaped pottery made in Silla and Gaya.
This is the first planned exhibition displaying roof-tiles in Gimhae. This exhibition holds significant meaning, as few people have previously been interested in Gaya roof tiles. Objects that can be displayed in the museum are not many. However, my hope is that visitors will open their minds to an enjoyable experience of experiencing roof tiles, the symbol of ancient states, and the new landscape of Gaya as they directly watch and feel these valuable objects.
Yoon, Yonghee
Curator
Curatorial Affairs Office
Gimhae National Museum
Tel: 055-320-6833
