Cultural Artifact Post #3: Tomb of King Muryeong

Ancient Korea is probably not a very well known to many people compared to Ancient Greece, Rome, China, Egypt, etc. But I assure you that if anything it’s just as interesting or dare I say even more so. One of the better understood periods of time in Ancient Korea is the 삼국시대 (Three Kingdom period, 57 BC – 668 AD). The period was made up of the 3 kingdoms: Gogoryeo, Baekje, and Silla. This period saw significant political rivalries, military conflicts, and cultural developments between the 3 states. Goguryeo, in the north, emerged as a powerful kingdom known for its military prowess. Baekje, in the southwest, prospered through maritime trade and cultural exchange. Silla, in the southeast, eventually unified the peninsula later under its rule after forming alliances and defeating its rivals. This period marked the beginning of true (kind of modern) Korean history as it’s where most of present day Korea’s cultural and social influences originated. 

The weaker of the 3 nations was no doubt Baekje, but it still had very interesting developments. One of which were the tombs, specifically the Tomb of 무령왕 (King Muryeong) the 25th King of Baeke. The tomb is one of the most studied archaeological finds in Korea because of how preserved it is, and therefore is a major contributor to studying the Baekje kingdom. 

The tomb was actually found when nearby tombs were being drained, and the tomb itself was also untouched by anyone since the king and queen were buried there nearly 1500 years before. The tomb also has a lot of Chinese influences, such as the placement of the king and queen in the east and west parts respectively. However, the tomb was placed in the south which was different from Chinese practices of placing them in the north. This indicates a divergence from Chinese influences which was what much of the 3 kingdoms were influenced by. The tomb itself of course contains a lot of jewelry and possessions of the king and queen. Most famously, it contains the two crowns/diadems for the king and queen (금제관식). The crowns were the first crowns found for the Baekje kingdom, making them extensively studied.

As mentioned before, the tomb was the first tomb found to be untouched by any robbers since the burial of their respective royalties. This makes the tomb very valuable in studying the Baekje kingdom to understand its cultural and political landscape so far in the past. Furthermore, the artifacts and jewelry found within the tomb also follow traditions and designs found in ancient China and Buddhism. Much of thee ancient Korean states were actually Buddhist, showing that the Buddhist origin can be traced as far back as the 3 Kingdoms period and ultimately China.

Royal Tomb of King Muryeong [UNESCO] | This Is Korea ToursTomb Exterior


The Tomb of King Muryeong (6th century) of Baekje, an ancient kingdom in Southwest Korea in the Three Kingdom period [736x730] : r/ArtefactPorn
Tomb Interior

무령왕 금제관식 - 위키백과, 우리 모두의 백과사전Royal Diadems

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Comments

  • I agree with your point that ancient Korea is not very well known while modern Korea has been influencing the entire world through its music, food, and culture. There are amazing and fascinating cultural artifacts from ancient Korea, including the Tomb of King Muryeong that you have introduced. It is not only beautiful but has a significant importance in history. 

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