국립중앙박물관 NATIONAL MUSEUM OF KOREA

Roof-end Tile with Bestial Face Design

Roof-end tiles were often carved with the face of a terrifying beast, in the belief that they would scare off evil spirits. Such tiles could be attached either to the end of a roof ridge or to the end of a rafter. Some were attached to the roof with a nail through a hole in the beast’s forehead, while others were attached by tying a cord or wire around a hook in the back.