naiku 内区

The inner section of the pendant *gatō 瓦当, attached to a semi-circular, convex eave-end tile *nokimarugawara 軒丸瓦. It includes the petals *kaben 花弁, leaf sprouts shiyō 子葉, and a central core, which can be called a seed pod with a varying number of seeds *renji 蓮子. The space around the seeds is called *chūbō 中房. Small triangular forms fill the natural interstices resulting from the curve of the petals. In some examples a thin line, distinct from the sides of the petals, extends delicately to the central core. In other examples, the form is heavy and broad and may have a raised nipple in the center. This part is called kanben 間弁 (between the petals). But it is thought to represent the pistil and/or stamen of the blossom. The form is considered to have been introduced from Koguryo (Jp: Kōkuri 高句羅) in the 7th century. A representative example of an early form having a wedge shaped pattern called kusabigata 楔形, was unearthed at the site of Minami Shigadera 南滋賀寺 in Shiga Prefecture. Examples have been found at Heijōkyūseki 平城宮跡 in Nara, and at many temples including the site of Kawaradera 川原寺 in Nara, the ruins of the Funabashidera 船橋寺 in Osaka, the traces of Sūfukuji 崇福寺 in Shiga Prefecture, and at the ruins of Takaidadera 高井田寺 in Osaka. When the broad, concave eave end tile *nokihiragawara 軒平瓦, has an inner area separated from the surrounding border, this is also called the naiku.