sabi-urushi 錆漆

Also sabi 錆. A paste made by mixing powdered burnt clay *tonoko 砥の粉 with seshime-urushi 瀬占漆 (sap taken from the branch of the lacquer tree). Fine wheat flour is often added. Sabi-urushi was used as a preliminary lacquer layer *kataji 硬地 on wooden statues, and often found on late Heian and Kamakura periods bugaku masks *bugakumen 舞楽面. It was also used to build up surfaces in raised lacquerwork takamakie 高蒔絵.