Two 1,500 year old Baekje-era jars with stone lid discovered at last capital showing new evidence of funeral culture

Two jars with stone lid discovered at Buyeo Royal Tomb showing new evidence of funeral culture 
연합뉴스  / 2022-02-23 17:02:57

 

Two jars with stone lid discovered at Buyeo Royal Tomb showing new evidence of funeral culture

 

 

Founded in 18 B.C. in present-day Seoul, the capital of the Republic of Korea, the Baekje dynasty lasted for 700 years until its collㅁpse in 660 A.D., mainly occupying the southwestern part of the Korean Peninsula and moving its capital several times. 

Called Sabi during that period, Buyeo, Chungcheongnam-do was the last capital city for 122 years from 538 AD to the end of the dynasty. Therefore, modern historians call the dynasty Sabi-Baekje of that era after the capital. 

 

Exposed Tomb and its passage 

 

 

There is a royal cemetery from the Sabi Baekje period on the southern outskirts called Buyeo Wnagneungwon. 

It is known that all the royal tombs in this area were already robbed during the Japanese colonial period, and as a result of excavations at that time, almost all of their structures has been known. 

The Buyeo National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage recently excavated one of the tombs to find an interesting fact related to the funeral ceremony of Baekje.

 

Exposed Tomb and its passage. Jars, each equipped with a cover stone, stood in the two holes shown on both sides.

 

 

Two pieces of earthenware with flat broken stones placed like lids have been excavated. This type of burying jars has been first identified in Baekje tombs and is evaluated as an important clue to help study Baekje funeral culture and ritual process. 

The institute announced on Wednesday that it had discovered jars standing upright on both sides of the floor of the main chamber through an excavation of Tomb No. 4 (Seosangchong Tomb) last year.

The jars are similar in height (49 cm) and shape. The lid stones seem to have been deliberately placed so that the contents of the jars do not escape.

The inside of the jars was filled about halfway with soil. The investigation team judged that the soil naturally flowed in after the jars were buried. 

An official from the institute said, "It is not known whether the jar was buried before the tomb was built or placed in the process of putting in the coffin," adding, "After building the tomb, it seems that the tomb was dug again and the pottery was placed."  

 

jars with stones placed like lids, in Tomb No. 4.

The official said, "It is known that few examples of pottery were buried in tombs like this in China," adding, "There may be meaningful results from the analysis of organic matter inside the jar, which is being analyzed by the institute.” 

"It is an artifact that shows one aspect of Baekje's funeral culture, which lacks archaeological data,” said the official. 

The investigation team identified the exact size and structure of the Seosangchong, which was investigated by the Japanese colonial era but had no drawings left. 

 

jars with stones placed like lids, in Tomb No. 4.

There were no particularly noticeable artifacts other than two pieces of pottery. 

The institute plans to investigate the Tomb No.3 (Seohachong) starting next month. In the royal tomb of Buyeo, six tombs identified during the Japanese colonial era and one tomb that appeared during the renovation process more than 50 years ago are maintained. 

An official from the institute said, "We still don't know exactly who the owners are in Tomb No. 3 and No. 4,” adding, “The Tomb No. 3, located near the south of Tomb No. 4, is different in size and location from the Baekje period, and it is expected that investigation will reveal the order of tomb construction.” 

 

jars seperated with its stone lids