Bronze Mirrors Excavated from Sutra Mounds
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Mirror with Rabbits and Waterfowl
Found at the Sakuradō Sutra Mound, Gifu, Heian period, 12th century (Gift of Mr. Yanagi Takashi)Japanese Archaeology and Special Exhibition (Heiseikan) Japanese Archaeology Gallery
September 20, 2023 (Wed) - March 10, 2024 (Sun)Sutra texts in protective containers, as well as bronze mirrors, knives, lidded white porcelain vessels, and a variety of other objects were buried in sutra mounds. Initially, many bronze mirrors created in Japan were based on Chinese examples, but in the Heian period (794–1192), mirrors with animal, plant, and landscape motifs reflecting a unique Japanese aesthetic were extensively produced.
| Designation | Name | Creation/ Excavation/ Provenance |
Period | Acquisition/ Ownership/ Accession Number |
CMT | ||
| Highlight | Eight-Lobed Mirror with Auspicious Flowers and Paired Phoenixes | Found at the Yatsu Sutra Mound, Chiba | Heian period, 12th century | Gift of Mr. Asano Tatsunosuke and Mr. Sakurai Tasuku, E-15522 | |||
| Highlight | Mirror with Autumn Grasses, Butterflies, and Birds | Found at the Takaoyama Sutra Mound, Wakayama | Heian period, 12th century | E-15329 | |||
| Highlight | Mirror with Rabbits and Waterfowl | Found at the Sakuradō Sutra Mound, Gifu | Heian period, 12th century | Gift of Mr. Yanagi Takashi, E-20191 |