Roof Decoration Depicting a Mythical Creature

Description

This roof tile is handmade and features an expressive, three-dimensional representation of the face of a mythical creature. The head of the beast on the front of the clay plate is depicted with a pig-like nose, erect pointed ears, protruding eyes and an open mouth with fangs and a sticking out tongue. The ears, cheeks, chin and beard are also indicated by incised lines. Judging by the red colour of the mask, it was originally painted in different colours. Decorative bricks like this were used on the sides and ends of the gables of building roofs. However, they were only used on high-class buildings such as imperial palaces, temples and princely sacrificial sites. The shape was originally made by casting in moulds, but in the late Gök-Turk and Uighur empires it was made by hand, as with these decorative tiles from Karabalgasun.

3D Visualisation

3D Model: H. Rohland

Images: C. Steindorf