Floral and linear patterns on jeolpyeon rice cakes can be pressed with a small tool called a tteoksal. A post-1945 wooden tteoksal in the National Museum of Korea shows how it works.
How the tool works
A tteoksal is a mold or stamp used to press patterns onto rice cakes such as jeolpyeon. They were made in wood or ceramic, in round, rectangular and other shapes.
The carved lines and motifs transfer directly onto the cake’s surface.
Meaning in the motifs
Museum interpretation notes that floral, character and geometric motifs could express wishes as well as serve as decoration.
Whether the central motif on accession 신수15969 represents a specific symbol has not been confirmed.
