Picture and text belt circular milk god beast mirror - Gamon Taikanjo Nyuushinjukyo

...The main image in the inner section is a monster with a long body that entangles the four nipples (protrusions), and this name was given to this image because it is reminiscent of the ancient Chinese imaginary animal ``Tortoise Dragon,'' which resembles a crocodile. However, this monster image was modeled after a Chinese-made circular breast divine beast mirror with a picture and text belt, which showed a dragon and tiger image with a divine being on its back, and the mirror makers of the Kofun period further used their imagination to create a unique and bizarre image. The pattern belt with a line of monstrous bird-like designs that runs around the outer periphery of the inner section, which is characteristic of the Tortoise Dragon mirror, was also taken from one of the patterns in the picture and text belt and turned into a bizarre image....

*Some of the terminology used in reference to the "Illustrated and Text Belt Circular Breast Divine Beast Mirror" is listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…内区の主要図像として，4ヵ所の乳（にゆう）(突起)にからむように長大な体軀をもつ怪獣像が配され，この像が古代中国の，ワニに似るという空想上の動物〈鼉竜〉を連想させることからこの名がつけられた。しかしこの怪獣像は，中国製の画文帯環状乳神獣鏡を手本とし，そこにある神仙を背にのせた竜虎のたぐいの像を見て，古墳時代の鏡工人がさらに想像をはせて独自の怪異な像に作りかえたものである。また鼉竜鏡に特徴的な，内区外周をめぐる怪鳥風の図様をならべた文様帯も，画文帯のなかの図様の一つを取り出し，怪奇な像に仕上げたものである。…

※「画文帯環状乳神獣鏡」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報