Due to being a peninsula with three sides bordered by the sea, our country has found the ocean to be an ideal source for craft materials. Natural materials sourced from the sea, such as mother-of-pearl(from shells), fish skin, and tortoise shell, have been transformed by skilled artisans into quintessentially Korean artworks of unique beauty. The first piece you will see is a craftwork made from the shell of a tortoise. Small pieces of the shell are heated at high temperatures and joined together. Historically, the tortoise has been regarded as one of the ten symbols of longevity, adding further significance to these exquisite creations.

Our museum would like to proudly introduce a prominent example of tortoiseshell craft, exbibit #14 the "Lacquered Box Inlaid with Mother-of-Pearl in a Pattern of Twin-Dragon Design". This craft piece uniquely incorporates three materials, tortoiseshell, mother-of-pearl, and fish skin, and is primarily used as a storage box for clothes or other items. The box's lid features a symmetrical design of twin dragons vying for a magical pearl. The central pearl is adorned with tortoiseshell, while the dragons' scales, manes, and bellies are crafted from fish skin, and their eyes and the surrounding cloud patterns are made from mother-of-pearl. The interior of the box is lined with silk and features a circular dragon pattern. The intricate design and use of precious materials suggest that it was likely made for use in a palace or by high-ranking nobility for storing official garments.

Next, let's explore the craft of Najeon, a type of traditional Korean mother-of-pearl inlay work. Najeon craft involves thinning and carving shells from abalones, conches, and pearls, and then inlaying these onto the surface of furniture using lacquer. Exhibit #7 is typical example of ‘Najeon’ craft, the "Chest Decorating Map of Tongyeong with Mother-of-Pearl." This piece artistically represents the historical landscape of Tongyeong, a region in Gyeongsang Province, using mother-of-pearl inlay. It appears to be inspired by a 19th-century folding screen painting called 'Tongyeong Seongdo.' Remarkably, it realistically depicts the topography of Tongyeong, including its mountains and rivers, as well as significant structures like the Chungryeolsa temple, Sebyeonggwan Hall, and Gullyang Bridge, all intricately crafted using Najeon techniques.

Now, let's learn a bit about crafts made from fish skin, known as Eoppi craft. Fish that provide suitable leather for such crafts include sharks, rays, eels, and whales. Among these, shark skin was particularly favored in the royal court. A notable example of Eoppi craft is exhibit #1 under #1, the "Chest with Shark Skin." This piece, known as 'Gakgesuri', is a type of single-tiered chest, featuring hinged doors and several drawers on the inside. It was typically used to store valuables or documents, functioning as a safe or medicine chest. The exterior of this piece of furniture is wrapped in shark skin, which is known for its resistance to both friction and moisture.

Lastly, let's check out three pieces of pottery from the late Joseon Dynasty, representing marine-themed crafts. Pottery refers to vessels or ornaments made from clay, glazed, and then fired at high temperatures. Our ancestors often adorned pottery with patterns that expressed their aesthetic sensibilities and were imbued with a variety of meanings.

The pottery pieces displayed all feature dragon designs. Dragons, in East Asian agrarian cultures, were revered as controllers of weather and water, and were also worshipped by fishermen as symbols of the sea god. Additionally, dragons symbolized achievement, protection, guardianship, and royal authority.

The first piece, "White Porcelain Jar with Cloud and Dragon Design in Underglaze Iron," is a white porcelain jar decorated with a dragon in iron oxide pigment. This particular piece is noteworthy for its humorous depiction of the dragon and the distinctive marking of 23 dots around the jar's opening.

Next, the "White Porcelain Jars with Cloud and Dragon Design in Underglaze Cobalt Blue" uses a blue cobalt pigment. This piece is notable for its depiction of a vigorous and valiant dragon weaving through clouds, set amidst a background of sprawling lotus petals both above and below the central figure.

This concludes our tour of the second area of the exhibition hall, the Maritime Hall, where we explored "The Sea Through Art.”