Sillas gold crowns shine with nobility

By Chung Ah-young

Golden crowns and other accessories from the Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.-935 A.D.) are captivating exhibition visitors to the National Museum of Korea with their riveting beauty and elaborate handiwork.

Luminous treasures from the Silla period, particularly a gold crown, National Treasure No. 188, excavated from the Cheonmachong Tomb, which are originally housed by the Gyeongju National Museum, are being presented throughout Feb. 13 in Seoul.

First excavated from the tomb in 1973, the crown measuring 32.5 centimeters in height and 20 centimeters in width has three prongs forming the Chinese character “mountain” in the front with two prongs in the shape of a deer antler at the back.

The crown is appreciated as the supreme artifact representing the Silla culture for its elaborate craftwork and the high quality of the gold unlike other similar crowns.

The artifact is estimated to date back to the early 5th- or 6th- century along with the other relics found in the same tomb. The crown was once displayed at Seoul’s museum in 1974, one year after it was discovered in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, the ancient capital of the Silla Kingdom.

Along with the golden crown, a golden belt, National Treasure No. 190, is also on display. The belt is believed to have been used as a symbol of the royal families as the objects’ quality and the design of the tomb reflect the social and political hierarchy of the deceased. The parts of the belt made of leather and silk had corroded and only the golden part that decorated the belt remains intact.

Located in Daereungwon Tomb Complex consisting of 23 large tombs in Gyeonggju, Cheonmachong literally means the Heavenly Horse Tomb as a famous painting of a white horse is etched on a birch bark saddle flap. The unique structure of the tomb and some 11,500 artifacts such as gold bracelets and gold rings recovered from the tomb opened a new possibility for archeological research on Silla’s flamboyant cultural heritage.

The museum is also displaying another golden crown, National Treasure No. 191 excavated from the Hwangnamdaechong Tomb from Sept. 9.

Discovered at Hwangnamdaechong in Gyeongju in 1974, the crown measuring 27.5 centimeters in height and 17 centimeters in width is also decorated with prongs shaping the Chinese character “mountain.” It also has three pairs of dangling pendants unlike other Silla crowns that have only a single pair. The crown is renowned for its rich jade decoration.

Currently housed at the National Museum of Korea, it will be on display with other relics recovered from the tomb.

Hwangnamdaechong is the largest ancient tomb that houses the bodies of both the king and queen and contains over 30,000 relics and gold accessories.

The museum is also holding an exhibition of photos capturing the images of the UNESCO World Heritage sites such as the Jongmyo Shrine, Changdeok Palace, Hwaseong Fortress, Joseon Royal Tombs and Historic Villages of Hahoe and Yangdong through Oct. 31.

In addition, an exhibition of “Sasindo” or Four Guardian Deities paintings that represent the mural paintings of Goguryeo Kingdom (B.C.37 to A.D.668) is being held through Nov. 28. The exhibition displays the beauty of artistic values and reflects the way of thinking from that period.