Relics excavated from 1,300 year old Astana Tombs on display in Seoul

Excavated objects from 1,300 year old Astana Tombs on display
연합뉴스  / 2022-07-16 17:08:08 

 

Excavated objects from 1,300 year old Astana Tombs on display

 

 

Pottery Painted with Pearl Design and Wooden Trays Used as Funerary Objects

 

Presumed to be a cemetery for the ruling class from the 3rd to 8th centuries, Astana tombs have been found in Turpan, northeast of Xinjiang, China since the early 20th century. 

Various relics such as wooden and earth figurines, earthenware, food, and documents have been unearthed from over 400 tombs. 

The National Museum of Korea is holdign the “Astana Tombs : A House of Eternity” exhibition, highlighting the excavated artifacts related to the Astana Tombs. 

 

Painting of Fuxi and Nuwa

The exhibited objects were collected by the Otani expedition in the early 20th century. Each relic is displayed according to the locations they were excavated, such as the main room, side rooms in the tombs and and its paths to the room. 

In particular, the “Painting of Fuxi and Nüwa,” which depicts male Fuxi and female Nüwa appearing in the Chinese myth of creation, is hung from the ceiling of the exhibition room to feel the atmosphere inside the tomb. The figure shows two creators with the upper body of a human and the lower body of a snake. 

 

Figurine of Warrior Riding a Horse

A computed tomography (CT) image of Figurine of Warrior Riding a Horse

The “Painting of Fuxi and Nüwa” symbolizes the birth of the universe and all things. This painting, which was installed on the ceiling of the room, is presumed to express the desire of the dead to reborn and live abundantly in the afterlife.

The 'Wooden Trays Used as Funerary Objects' is exhibited in a set referencing the list of items and photographs from the time of the museum’s acquisition, and the 'Figurine of Warrior Riding a Horse ' placed in the room next to the tomb was restored by reassembling fragments. 

 

Exhibition Poster