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Source Description
Three lions—two ferocious adults and one playful cub—form the base of this Chinese headrest. Often found at burial sites, headrests probably had multiple uses for their owners, but their exact origins are unknown. As ceramic pillows, headrests were cooling on hot summer nights. As decorative objects, their form and ornamentation conveyed symbolic meaning for their owners. Lions are used as decoration on headrests because of their association with protection, as fierce beasts with the strength to ward off evil spirits while one sleeps. <br><br>While headrests made of hard materials may seem unusual now, their use crosses time periods and cultures.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
284738
label
Headrest with Three Lions
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
284738
contentType
object
title
Headrest with Three Lions
description
Three lions—two ferocious adults and one playful cub—form the base of this Chinese headrest. Often found at burial sites, headrests probably had multiple uses for their owners, but their exact origins are unknown. As ceramic pillows, headrests were cooling on hot summer nights. As decorative objects, their form and ornamentation conveyed symbolic meaning for their owners. Lions are used as decoration on headrests because of their association with protection, as fierce beasts with the strength to ward off evil spirits while one sleeps. <br><br>While headrests made of hard materials may seem unusual now, their use crosses time periods and cultures.
date
916–1125
citation
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q79860163
genreSpecific
Ceramic
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 13.4 x 37.9 x 18.2 cm (5 1/4 x 14 15/16 x 7 3/16 in.)
cul
China, Liao dynasty (916-1125)
accession
2017.15
Source extras
tec
Glazed earthenware, sancai (three-color ware)
tombstone
Headrest with Three Lions, 916–1125. China, Liao dynasty (916-1125). Glazed earthenware, sancai (three-color ware); overall: 13.4 x 37.9 x 18.2 cm (5 1/4 x 14 15/16 x 7 3/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Donna and James Reid, 2017.15
collection
China - Liao Dynasty
didYouKnow
Headrests are not just decorative—they would also be slept on as pillows.
citations
citation
<em>Kaikodo journal</em>. Vol XI, Spring 1999.
page_number
Mentioned and Reproduced: cat. no. 64, pp. 200–201, 309–310
creditline
Gift of Donna and James Reid
sketchfabId
31a9a4ae69834c42a4869d0610f32515
updatedAt
2026-06-18 21:15:43.197000
sourceId
284738
dept
Chinese Art
coll
China - Liao Dynasty
med
Glazed earthenware, sancai (three-color ware)
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
51df2fc9335223fc