Keywords
Architecture
Roofing Tiles
Lit. "green-glazed roof tiles." A decorative green glaze is applied to the pendants *gatō 瓦当, of semi-circular, convex eave-end tiles *nokimarugawara 軒丸瓦, decorated with a lotus motif *rengemon 蓮華文. The pendants of broad, concave eave-end tiles *nokihiragawara 軒平瓦 are ornamented with an arabesque pattern *karakusamon 唐草文. Glazed tiles of this type have been excavated at Tōshōdaiji 唐招提寺, Daianji 大安寺, Tōdaiji 東大寺 and Saidaiji 西大寺, all in Nara. Green-glazed roof tiles continued to be used during the Heian period, and have been excavated from sites that include the Heian palace and Kyōōgokokuji 教王護国寺 (Tōji 東寺, 1191), Kyoto, and at the site of Saiji 西寺.