obikui　帯喰

KEY WORD :　art history / sculptures

A decoration in the form of a lion's head *shigami 獅噛, found on the belt of sculpted armored figures. A fierce animal head forming a buckle, shown as if biting on the front of the belt, found on ancient Chinese armor. It symbolized the courage and strength of a lion, and was used on Buddhist guardian figures *ten 天. A good example can be seen on the Bishamontenzou 毘沙門天像 in Kanzeonji 観世音寺, Fukuoka prefecture.

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