Ridge-End Roof Tile ("Onigawara") with a Lotus Flower 蓮華文鬼瓦れんげもんおにがわら

Description

These two ridge-end tiles were once attached to the roofs of temples during the Asuka period, which lasted from 593 to 710. Though found in different locations, they look very similar. The tiles are adorned with a design of lotuses. These were important motifs in Buddhism during that time. The depictions of the petals and the sizes of the central nubs differ according to time and place, with the tiles classified into several groupings accordingly.

It is clear these two were made by pressing the same mold against a clay surface. However, a closer inspection reveals different patterns around the flowers. The tile excavated at the ruins of Kumedera temple features a beaded roundels pattern, while the tile from the ruins of the Yamamura abandoned temple has a jagged sawtooth design. It is believed the mold used at Kumedera temple was re-carved and re-designed to match the designs of other tiles used at Yamamura temple. The Yamamura tile also has a hole in the center for affixing nails.

The lower sections of both tiles feature a large arch carved out in the center with two smaller arches on either side. This reveals how the tiles were attached to the four corners of the temple roofs, with the ridges and some semicircular eave tiles affixed to these arched sections. It is thought the semicircular eave tiles were also decorated with lotus designs to imbue the roofs of the respective temples’ Buddhist halls with a harmonious sense of beauty.