Ashmolean Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Before AD 800, the area of present-day Korea was made up of three separate kingdoms. Japan was just beginning to develop a central administration and an imperial court. There was much cultural exchange between Korea and Japan.

Most surviving objects of this period were preserved in tombs. The burial objects in both regions consisted of metalwork and ceramics. In Korea these included elaborate gold crowns with jade pendants and low-fired ceramics with distinctive openwork forms and ash glazes. Japanese burial mounds contained similar ceramics, as well as mirrors, beads and weapons. Large, unglazed earthenware tomb figures were often displayed outside tombs.

Haniwa figure of a warrior (EA1996.16)   Haniwa figure of a long-necked bird (EA2001.3)

Fragment of a roof-tile with running dragon (EA1983.232)   Cicular roof end-tile with lotus (EA1983.233)

Circular roof end-tile with floral decoration (EA1983.234)   Block of building material with confronted deer (EA1983.235)