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| Staff of the National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage place a "geompa," a hilt-shaped ornament, on top of a "chwidu," a dragon-shaped ornamental roof tile, during a press conference at the National Palace Museum of Korea, central Seoul, Wednesday. The fully intact set of the roof tile decorations, which is believed to be for royal buildings in the early Joseon era, was excavated from the mudflats of coastal Taean, South Chungcheong Province. Yonhap |
By Kim Rahn
A dragon-shaped ornamental roof tile and a hilt-shaped ornament placed on top of it have been unearthed, the first excavation ever of a fully intact dragon-shaped roof tile decoration, according to the National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage, Wednesday.
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| A "chwidu" and "geompa" on the roof of Injeong Gate at Changdeok Palace in Seoul / Courtesy of Cultural Heritage Administration |
The upper part of the roof tile, called a "chwidu," which decorated both ends of the main ridge of a building roof, was discovered in the mudflats of Cheongpodae, Taean, South Chungcheong Province, in May, and the hilt-shaped ornament placed on top of the chwidu, called a "geompa," was also found there last June.
The upper part matched the lower part that had been discovered there in 2019 by a local who was collecting shells. The combined upper and lower parts also paired with other upper and lower parts the institute found nearby last June.
With the finding of the geompa, the fully intact dragon-shaped roof tile decoration has now been verified. Considering that dragon patterns were used only by the royal family in early Joseon, the ornament is also expected to assist people in studying the details of royal buildings of the era.
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| The size of the "geompa," or hilt-shaped ornament, excavated from the mudflats of Taean, South Chungcheong Province, which is believed to have adorned the roof of a royal building in early Joseon / Courtesy of Cultural Heritage Administration |
The excavated geompa is 40.5 centimeters long, 16 centimeters wide and 7 centimeters thick, with cloud patterns on both sides. Geompa were used to prevent rainwater from flowing inside the chwidu.
It is different from several geompa that are seen in late Joseon-era royal buildings ― such as in Injeong Gate of Changdeok Palace ― that do not have any patterns on them and are much simpler in their shapes.
The institute plans to conduct additional excavation work in the mudflat area and under the sea in the region until mid-August. It will continue to study whether there is a sunken ship there, as well as where the roof tiles for royal buildings were made and on which routes they were transported.
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