By Han Sang-hee
Staff reporter
The small, round bronze case that was found at Mireuk Temple in Iksan, North Jeolla Province, belonged to a high ranking official of the Baekje Kingdom (18 B.C.-660 A.D.), according to the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (NRICH), Wednesday.
The case was found in the internal space of the temple’s stone pagoda Called the “Sarigong,” this space is where the Sari or cremation remains, and related relics are placed.
The internal space inside the pagoda is called the ``sarigong,'' and it is where the ``sari,'' or cremation remains, and related relics are placed.
NRICH explained that a writing on the lid of the bronze container indicated the owner.
The writing reads ``sangbudalsolmokgeun,'' which roughly translates into ``a `Dalsol' rank official named Mok-geun who lives in Sangbu.'' The institute further clarified that the case was given as an offering to the temple when the pagoda was built. ``Dalsol'' is a rank used during the Baekje era.
The case was first discovered last year with other Buddhist relics, including a golden urn and a gold plate with inscriptions that date back to the Baekje Kingdom.
A total of six circular cases were found last year at the temple, including the bronze piece, and the institute assumed that they must have been used as jewelry boxes considering the contents of pearls, amber and gold.
More than 4,800 pieces were found inside the cases, including some 350 gold beads inside the bronze case. According to the institute, the beads and other jewelry were in good condition.
NRICH is planning to go public with their work at the Mireuk Temple International Research Symposium at the National Palace Museum of Korea May 27 and 28.
Last year's discovery gave a concrete historic date to the construction of both the temple and the pagoda, the grandest of its kind built during the Baekje Kingdom.