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Source Description
From ancient times, a mirror assumed various roles: a ritualistic tool, a diplomatic gift, and a luxury commodity. During the Goryeo dynasty (918–1392), which saw the great advancement of metallurgy, the royal court was the center of distributing sophisticated bronze artifacts. According to historical records, on the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, the king bestowed a bronze mirror inscribed with auspicious symbols upon each court official as part of a ceremony to celebrate the Day of Humans. This explains why a large quantity of bronze mirrors were excavated from elite tombs.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
103717
label
Mirror with Scroll Design
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
103717
contentType
object
title
Mirror with Scroll Design
description
From ancient times, a mirror assumed various roles: a ritualistic tool, a diplomatic gift, and a luxury commodity. During the Goryeo dynasty (918–1392), which saw the great advancement of metallurgy, the royal court was the center of distributing sophisticated bronze artifacts. According to historical records, on the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, the king bestowed a bronze mirror inscribed with auspicious symbols upon each court official as part of a ceremony to celebrate the Day of Humans. This explains why a large quantity of bronze mirrors were excavated from elite tombs.
date
918–1392
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q79508713
genreSpecific
Metalwork
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 13.7 x 0.3 cm (5 3/8 x 1/8 in.)
cul
Korea, Goryeo dynasty (918–1392)
accession
1921.659
Source extras
tec
bronze
tombstone
Mirror with Scroll Design (청동 당초무늬 거울 [銅製唐草文圓形鏡]), 918–1392. Korea, Goryeo dynasty (918–1392). Bronze; overall: 13.7 x 0.3 cm (5 3/8 x 1/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of John L. Severance, 1921.659
titleInOriginalLanguage
청동 당초무늬 거울 [銅製唐草文圓形鏡]
collection
Korean Art
didYouKnow
Due to its origin as an important tool in religion and politics, mirrors are often mentioned in many Korean proverbs that warn certain behaviors.
citations
citation
<em>Goryeo Dynasty: Korea's Age of Enlightenment, 918-1392</em>. San Francisco: Asian Art Museum, 2003.
citation
Choi, Eung-chon. “Craftsmen in Metal Arts in the Goryeo Dynasty [고려시대 金屬工藝의 匠人].” <em>Misulsahak yeongu</em> (2004): 171–192.
citation
Horlyck, Charlotte. "The Eternal Link: Grave Goods of the Koryŏ Kingdom (918-1392 CE)."<em> Ars Orientalis</em>, no. 44 (2014): 156–179.
citation
<em>Bronze in Life and Art</em> [삶과 예술 속. 청동 靑銅 이야기] National Cheongju Museum (2016).
citation
<em>Goryeo: The Glory of Korea </em>[대고려, 그 찬란한 도전]. Seoul: National Museum of Korea, 2018.
citation
Ch'a, Mi-rae, Kwi-suk An, Cleveland Museum of Art, and 국외소재문화재재단. <em>The Korean Collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art</em>. Edited by An Min-hŭi. First edition, English ed. Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Series, 16. Seoul, Republic of Korea: Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation, 2021.
page_number
Mentioned and Reproduced: p. 119, no. 83
creditline
Gift of John L. Severance
updatedAt
2026-05-29 05:35:55.379000
sourceId
103717
dept
Korean Art
coll
Korean Art
med
bronze
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
6f8d52bc31fb7629