This large tile is decorated with a pair of confronting dragons and a flaming pearl against a ground of tiny cloud scrolls. The whole object is modelled in low-fired earthenware clay. The sinuous dragons depicted in vigorous movement is typical of Ly dynasty art. This tile represents a high point in the history of Vietnamese ceramics and is an expression of an independent Viet culture that emerged victorious after a thousand years of warfare with China. Similar architectural elements in this style have been found at the the site of the ancient royal capital in Hanoi, formerly known as Thang Long (literally ‘Rising Dragon’).
