About the Ceiling with Bokdu(覆斗) Design Reflected on the Sarira Casket Discovered from a East Pagoda in Gameunsa Temple Site

감은사지(感恩寺址) 동탑(東塔) 사리용기(舍利容器) 양식(樣式)에 반영된 복두형(覆斗形) 천장(天障)에 대하여

This paper is a study on the design of the gilt-bronze sarira caskets discovered in 1959 and 1996, from a east and a west three-story stone pagodas in Gameunsa Temple site which was built in 682. One of the most interesting discoveries is the ceiling with Bokdu(覆斗) design which can be seen in Dun-Huang grotto of China, reflected upon the ceiling structure of the cover (outer casket) and the square box (inner casket). The structure of these sarira caskets, as art crafts, directly represents architectural structure of Dun-Huang grotto that was made during the early T'ang period of China. Moreover, the sarira caskets are decorated with ornate designs and these designs also can be seen on the murals of Dun-Huang grotto. Accordingly, those sarira caskets tell us creative ability and international taste of Silla's craftsmen. By tracing the origin of structure and design pattern of the sarira caskets to Central Asian and Chinese architectures, it is able to understand international style of the sarira caskets of Gameunsa Temple site.