Bird-shaped vessel

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Footed bird-shaped vessels have been found primarily at burial sites on the southern Korean peninsula, near the Nakdong River. Occurring in pairs, they probably served as funeral ritual vessels and burial objects. Liquid was poured into this example through an opening at the back and flowed out through the bird’s tail.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art