Sword sparks debate
The sheath of a sword found at the Geumgwanchong (golden crown tomb) in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, with the letters “Yisaji-wang” inscribed on it. / Yonhap
By Kim Tong-hyung
A new archeological discovery at the Geumgwanchong (golden crown tomb) in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, has opened debate on who is buried there. The 5th-century tomb, discovered in 1921, remains one of the country’s most significant Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.-935 A.D.) historical sites and was named after a famous, jade-ornamented gold crown that was found there, which is now an iconic example of Korean traditional culture.
The National Museum of Korea said Wednesday that the inscription ``Yisaji-wang’’ was found on the covering of a sword found at the tomb, which left archeologists wondering whether this is the name of the tomb’s owner.
While ``wang’’ means ``king,’’ there is no monarch named Yisaji-wang mentioned in Samguksagi or Samgukyusa, the medieval history books that record the history of the kingdoms of Silla, Baekje (18 B.C.-660 A.D.) and Goguryeo (37 B.C.–668 A.D.).
According to historians, there is a possibility that Yisaji was a different name for either King Naemul or King Jijeung of Silla. Another theory is that the word ``wang’’ was used not only to describe kings, but powerful noblemen as well.
Historians presumed Geumgwanchong belonged to a woman, considering the type of artifacts found there and where they were placed.
``Although the discovery of the Yisaji-wang description is significant, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the tomb was his. It could be the tomb of family members, such as his wife,’’ said Song Eui-jeong, a senior researcher at the museum.