Roof Tile with Dragon Face

Roof tiles decorated with the frightening face of a dragon were often placed along the four edges of the roof of a building. Such tiles were originally made to scare away evil spirits, but their decorative value also enhanced the majesty of a building. These tiles were first made in the Three Kingdoms Period, but they reached the pinnacle of their popularity in the Unified Silla Period. This particular dragon roof tile is thought to date back to the Three Kingdoms Period. Its glaze was matured at a high temperature, and its rectangular shape indicates that it was likely used for building a stone stupa. This masterpiece has ideal structure balance, with the face occupying the majority of the space, and the remainder filled by fierce plumes and waves.