The Ancient People and Birds

Here we can see some pottery wares that are shaped like birds.

From the Bronze Age onward, people in the Korean peninsula made diverse bird-shaped vessels because birds were believed to act as messengers between the earth and the heavens. For example, Bronze Age people believed that birds delivered grain seeds in the spring to enhance the harvest and that they guided the spirits of the dead to heaven. So, rituals honoring birds were commonly held in this period, and bird- or duck-shaped potteries and bronze ware with bird designs have been found in the Samhan regions.

These particular exhibits are similar to kettles, having hollow bodies into which water or liquids could be poured. The bird-shaped pottery vessels were used as ceremonial items or burial goods.