Ceramic earthenware horn cup (Korean Three Kingdoms period (5th to 6th centuries)) Three Kingdoms period/18BCE–660CE

This is a ceramic earthenware horn cup from the Three Kingdoms period (5th to 6th centuries) on the Korean Peninsula.

A horn cup is a drinking vessel made to resemble an animal's horn, and is thought to be one of the ritual objects used by ancient people. It was originally made from animal horns, but eventually came to be imitated in ceramic and metal.

This is a horn-shaped cup made of pottery, characterized by its curved shape. The body curves strongly inward from the middle and has a sharp tip. It is believed that horn-shaped cups like this played an important role in rituals and ceremonies, and were used like a mug.

Some ancient tombs on the Korean peninsula have been excavated with pedestals for placing horn cups on, and bronze and lacquer horn cups have been found in the royal tombs of Gyeongju in particular. In the 5th century, horn cups that are believed to have been used in rituals in Japan were excavated from Namsan Tomb No. 4 in Kashihara City, and are thought to have been brought from the Gaya region of the Korean peninsula.

Due to the cultural influence of the immigrants, horn cups were used as important ritual objects in various parts of Japan, and it is clear that they played an important role in rituals.