Peach seeds found in jar from 4th century Guemgwan Gaya tomb

Peach seeds found in jar from 4th century Guemgwan Gaya tomb
2022-05-18 15:37:34

 

Peach seeds found in jar from 4th century Guemgwan Gaya tomb

 

Geumgwan Gaya (43–532 AD) was the ancient kingdom during the Three Kingdoms Period in Korea. It had been located around the modern-day city of Gimhae, Southern Gyeongsang province, near the mouth of the Nakdong River. 

Daeseung-dong Tombs in Gimhae is known as a cemetery where the king and other supreme rulers of the kingdom are buried.

The largest number of peach seeds, based on a single tomb in Korea were found in the Gaya ruins estimated to be from the 4th century.  

 

jar containing peach seeds

The Daeseong-dong Tombs Museum in Gimhae City announced that about 340 peach seeds were found in a large jar excavated from a tomb in the cemetery.  

The peach seeds that were in the jar was confirmed when the Daeseong-dong Tombs Museum was reorganizing and examining the relics excavated from the Ancient Tombs in Daesong-dong, Gimhae in 2001. 

The Daeseong-dong Tombs Museum estimated that the peaches were fresh when it was put in the grave as the peach stem was included. 

Along with peach seeds of various sizes, seeds of Cucumis (belongs to family Cucurbitaceae which includes the cucumber) and dom (fish) were also found. 

 

peach seeds

The custom of burying peaches in tombs is mostly seen in the tombs of Nakrang (a kingdom which was allied with China's Han Dynasty) influenced by the Chinese Han culture. 

In Korea, fewer than 15 peach seeds have been excavated from the 5th century tombs including Ancient Tombs in Jisan-dong, Goryeong and Ancient Tombs in Songhyeon-dong, Changnyeong. 

The Daeseong-dong Tombs Museum explained that this is the first time that the custom of burying peaches in tombs has been confirmed in tombs from the 4th century. 

During the olden times, they believed that peaches had magical powers that warded off evil spirits. 

The Daeseong-dong Tombs Museum analyzed that the Geumgwan Gaya people, who believed that life would continue in the afterlife, wished for eternal life by burying peaches together with other relics, expressing their wish for fame and peace in this world for their next life.  

peach seeds

 

 

****

 

Editor's note

The peach is said to be a cultivated species, not a wild species native to the Korean Peninsula.

Furthermore, no holes were identified in these peach seeds to dig out the contents.

This seems to be evidence that these peaches contributed more as food for the dead than as drugs.
Peach seeds dug out inside were used as a drug called Haeng-in.