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Belt Ornament

1100s

The Cleveland Museum of Art

The Cleveland Museum of Art
Cleveland, United States

Metallurgy advanced remarkably in the Goryeo period (918-1392), explaining why a large quantity of sophisticated metal artifacts with delicate designs were used not only as daily accessories but also as burial goods. Belt ornaments like this example were fixed to leather belts. Surround by intricate arabesque patterns, a seated dear was done in the repoussé technique. Such animal motifs were widely shared among Eastern Eurasian tribes, from where the first settlers in the Korean peninsula originated.

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  • Title: Belt Ornament
  • Date Created: 1100s
  • Physical Dimensions: Overall: 4 x 4.6 x 0.7 cm (1 9/16 x 1 13/16 x 1/4 in.)
  • Type: Metalwork
  • Rights: CC0
  • External Link: https://clevelandart.org/art/1917.1053.1
  • Medium: gilt bronze with repoussé relief
  • Fun Fact: The Japanese antique dealer Yamanaka & Company, which opened its branches in New York (1895) and Boston (1899), sold small Korean archaeological materials such as this belt ornament to American collectors in the early 20th century.
  • Department: Korean Art
  • Culture: Korea, Goryeo period (918-1392)
  • Credit Line: Gift of the John Huntington Art and Polytechnic Trust
  • Collection: Korean Art
  • Accession Number: 1917.1053.1
The Cleveland Museum of Art

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