shibi 鴟尾

Also written 鵄尾, 蚩尾, 鮪; also called tobi-no-o 鴟の尾, kutsugata 沓形 (shoes tile) because it is thought to resemble proto-modern shoes. A type of roof ornament used on the main ridge *ōmune 大棟 of temple and palace architecture. It resembles the tail of an animal, but its origin is not known. It is believed to protect a building against fire. It was widely used in China, and was popular in Japan in the Asuka and Hakuhō periods. Shibi are traditionally made of tile and the oldest surviving example in Japan is found on the west side of the *Kondō 金堂 at Tōshōdaiji 唐招堤寺 in Nara. It dates from the 8th century. There is an unusual use of shibi at Nankōbō 南光坊 in Ehime Prefecture, where they were placed on corner ridges *sumikudarimune 隅降棟, and on the off-spring ridges *chigomune 稚児棟 of the main hall *hondō 本堂. The popularity of shibi waned by the end of the Kamakura period. Later shibi were made of a wooden frame covered with a sheet of copper. A few stone shibi also exist. One variation includes the fish-shaped *shachi 鯱.