Bowl

1100s

Bowl, 1100s. Korea, Goryeo period (918-1392). Pottery; diameter of mouth: 17.7 cm (6 15/16 in.); overall: 8.9 cm (3 1/2 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of John L. Severance 1918.455.a As early as the seventh century, the practice of drinking tea and wine became an important part of elite culture in Korea. Elites of the Goryeo period commissioned a variety of types of utensils and vessels including this large bowl paired with a shallow saucer, to make their drinking experience more exciting. The crackle pattern that appears all over this bowl was caused by a thermal expansion mismatch between the body and the glaze.