Goryeo Dynasty incense-burner-stand
- Gallery: Room 67
- Culture: Goryeo Dynasty
- Made in: Korea
- Date: 1358 (dated)
- Object type: incense-burner-stand
- Materials: bronze; silver
- Museum number: 1945,1110.1
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
Before you stands a fine bronze incense-burner base from the Goryeo Dynasty in Korea, inlaid with delicate silver patterns. It rests on an elegant curved foot and supports a circular top that once held a bowl (now missing). A fierce dragon twists through the design, chasing a wish-fulfilling jewel amid clouds, lotus leaves, and beaded borders. The silver lines contrast beautifully with the aged bronze.
The base is inscribed in Chinese characters, revealing that it was made in 1358 to offer prayers for the health and peace of King Gongmin and his royal family. The inscription also names donors, including a monk and a patron, showing this was a meaningful religious contribution. The design and silver inlay show a long Korean tradition of bronze craftsmanship, refined with artistic flair during the Goryeo period. This is one of just a few known pieces of this kind—making it exceptionally rare and significant.
See it in person
Goryeo Dynasty incense-burner-stand is on display in Room 67 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and take a photo of it to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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