국립중앙박물관 NATIONAL MUSEUM OF KOREA

Boat-shaped Pottery

This figurine in the shape of a boat comes from Geumnyeongchong Tomb. The boatsman has an enlarged nose, ears, and genitals. This exaggerated mode of expression is characteristic of Silla figurines, and likely symbolized wishes for bounty and fertility. Boat-shaped figurines are believed to be associated with the long-held belief that the spirits of the dead were transported to the afterlife in boats. This artifact also provides valuable insights about the types of boats that were used by Silla people at the time.

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