Long-necked Jar with Clay Figurines

Although the mouth and base of this long-necked jar are distorted and contain air bubbles, the attached human and animal figures are perfectly preserved, making the jar an artifact of great importance. It was excavated in 1973 from one of the Royal Tombs of Daereungwon, in Gyeongju. The neck is decorated with two incised bands filled with wave and circle patterns. Various figures are attached to the surface of the neck, such as a man holding his penis in his right hand and a staff in his left hand, and a snake that seems to be biting the back leg of a frog. Silla vessels decorated with a wide variety of figures have been found, including those of people dancing, singing, playing an instrument, giving birth, and even having sexual intercourse. Such figures are seen to be frank and simple expressions of the community’s wishes for fertility and prosperity.