Silla Kingdom Lidded Stoneware Bowl (Kobae)

Silla Kingdom, Three Kingdoms Period, 57 BC–676 AD, Korea

An superb and finely crafted stoneware lidded bowl, known as a kobae. This elegant vessel was skillfully coil-built, thin-walled, and wheel-finished, featuring delicate incised and cut decoration beneath a naturally formed dark ash glaze. The piece exemplifies the refined ceramic artistry of the Silla Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period.

Silla pottery of this era is typically characterized by its grey stoneware fabric and subtle decorative treatments—incised, applied, or pierced motifs that highlight the potter’s technical precision. Two principal forms are known from Silla production: the long-necked jar (changgyong ho) and the rounded, lidded bowl on a broad foot (kobae), such as this fine example. These vessels were used on special occasions for serving food rather than liquids and were likely influenced by the Chinese dou form. The lid, fitted with a small pedestal handle, could be inverted to serve as an additional dish.

Excavated examples of kobae have revealed traces of soybean paste, kimchi, red pepper paste, and fermented fish sauce—testifying to their practical role in ancient cuisine. Yet most kobae have been discovered in tomb contexts, suggesting their use as ritual or funerary vessels, buried with the deceased to accompany them into the afterlife. This exquisite bowl thus embodies both the technical sophistication and spiritual beliefs of Silla culture, reflecting a civilization where artistry and ritual were deeply intertwined.

Good condition. Repaired lid. Age-related wear, chip in the foot, and abrasions consistent with age and use. Attractive encrusted patina and rich earthen deposits across the surface. Size approx. 19,5cm x 15,1cm x 15,2cm. 

Provenance: Danish private collection

For a similar examples see:

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Accession Number: 1997.34.7a, b.(https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/39502)

Philadelphia Museum of Art, Accession Number: 1983-81-5a,b (https://philamuseum.org/collection/object/76524)

Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Accession Number: 1999.187.1.1-.2.(https://collections.lacma.org/node/199210)

Brooklyn Museum, Accession Number: 40.519a-b. (https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/50480)

References and further reading:

Silla: Korea's Golden Kingdom, Soyoung Lee & Denise Patry Leidy, with contributions by Ham Soon-seop, Huh Hyeong Uk, Insook Lee, Juhyung Rhi, Yoon Onshik, and Yoon Sangdeok, Met Publications, 2013. 

Silla Kingdom, Prehistory and Ancient History, National Museum of Korea. (https://www.museum.go.kr/site/eng/showroom/list/760?showroomCode=DM0008)

Silla Pottery, Mark Cartwright, World History Encyclopedia, published on 28 November 2016. (https://www.worldhistory.org/article/983/silla-pottery/)