Netsuke

Museum number:

9-7714

Permalink:

ark:/21549/hm21090007714

Alternate number:

3-47 (original number), 4-158 (original number), and 5-128 (original number)

Accession number:

Acc.2384

Description:

Netsuke: jar with removeable lid, surrounded by a dragon, a man with sword, a woman. 3.1 cm.

Donor:

Estate of Geraldine C. and Kernan Robson

Collection place:

Japan

Culture or time period:

Japanese

Collector:

Geraldine C. Robson

Collection date:

before 1940

Materials:

Ivory (material)

Object type:

ethnography

Object class:

Dragons and Netsukes

Function:

2.2 Personal Adornments and Accoutrements

Accession date:

1968

Context of use:

Toggle to be attached to the end of a cord and thrust through the sash of a kimono for the support of a purse, pouch or lacquer box.

Department:

Asia (except western Russia)

Dimensions:

height 3.1 centimeters

Comment:

Per Robeson Accession File: Netsuke in invory, of jar surronded by dragon [sic], a man with a sword, and a woman. Susanowo and Inada Hime. There was a dragon, who at a certain time, exacted the sacrafice of a beautiful maiden, in this case Inada Hime. Susano-o-no Mikoto, the Storm-God-Brother of Amaterasu, killed the dragon that threatened Inada Hime, by making the brute drunk with eight jars of strong sake, one for each head, and then cutting off all the heads at one time. From the tail of the dragon he drew a sword, the Ama no Murakumo Tsurugi, which was kept at the temple of Ise until it was handed to Tamato Dake, after whose exploits it became the grass-quelling sword. See YamatoDake in Joly. It is now in the temple at Atsuta. Susano-o was born from the nose of Izanagi no Mikoto, the great primary male ancestor. Susano-o was sent to Izumo, where he killed [the] dragon. He married Inada Hime, daughter of the king of Izumo. He is worshiped as ruler of the sea, the tide, and the moon.

Legacy documentation: