Plaque, celadon with inlaid design of six cranes, Goryeo dynasty, 12th-13th century, Gangjin kiln or Buan kilns. Height (cm) 2.2; Width (cm) 20.5×15.9; Weight (g) 525. The Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka (gift of SUMITOMO Group, the ATAKA Collection), photograph by MUDA Tomohiro (Accession No. 00038).

While this thin plaque, with a thickness of approximately five millimeters, is similar to the tiles used in architecture, the usage is unknown. Plaques have been found in large numbers at the kiln sites of Sadang-ri in Gangjin-gun and Yuchoun-ri in Buan-gun. They were also excavated from the palace remains in Gaesong, the old capital of Goryeo, suggesting that the plaques were made for practical purposes. There are only a few examples of plaques remain intact in the world and this work is especially rare in terms of its size and the pictorial decoration. It shows cranes frolicking at the waterside among reeds and bamboos. It is said that the poses the cranes are assuming derive from the illustration of six cranes from ancient China. Among the Goryeo celadon with inlaid design, this outstanding work reflects strong Goryeo-style artistic sensitivity.