The
crowns of Silla were made in the
KoreaKorea is a civilization and formerly unified nation currently divided into two states. Located on the Korean Peninsula, it borders China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the east by the Korea Strait....
n kingdom of
SillaSilla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and the longest sustained dynasty in Asian history. Although it was founded by King Park Hyeokgeose, who is also known to be the originator of the Korean family name Park , the dynasty was to see the Kyungju Kim clan hold rule for most of its...
approximately in the fifth and sixth centuries of the Common Era.
Of the ten fully golden
crownsA crown is the traditional symbolic form of headgear worn by a monarch or by a deity, for whom the crown traditionally represents power, legitimacy, immortality, righteousness, victory, triumph, resurrection, honour and glory of life after death. In art the crown may be shown being offered to those...
in the world, eight are from the
Korean PeninsulaThe Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 684 miles from continental Asia into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan on the east, the East China Sea to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the first two...
. Out of these, six are from Silla, and two are from the neighboring
Gaya confederacyGaya was a confederacy of territorial polities in the Nakdong River basin of southern Korea, growing out of the Byeonhan confederacy of the Samhan period. The traditional period used by historians for Gaya chronology is 42 - 532 CE...
. These crowns were excavated in
GyeongjuGyeongju is a coastal city in the far southeastern corner of North Gyeongsang province in South Korea. It is the second largest city by area in the province after Andong, covering with a population of 269,343 people according to the 2008 census. Gyeongju is southeast of Seoul, and east of the...
, the former capital of Silla, and are designated
National treasures of South KoreaThe National Treasures of Korea are a numbered set of tangible treasures, artifacts, sites, and buildings which are recognized by South Korea as having exceptional artistic, cultural and historical value...
.
The Silla crowns are very fragile and weigh more than one
kilogramThe kilogram is the base unit of mass in the International System of Units .[The spelling kilogram is the modern spelling used by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures , the U.S...]
. The Silla kings probably did not wear the golden crowns like hats. They were probably used only for formal and ceremonial occasions. Some scholars believe that the crowns were never worn at all but made specifically as burial goods.
Introduction
]
The Silla crowns are some of the most spectacular treasures uncovered in the tumuli of
GyeongjuGyeongju is a coastal city in the far southeastern corner of North Gyeongsang province in South Korea. It is the second largest city by area in the province after Andong, covering with a population of 269,343 people according to the 2008 census. Gyeongju is southeast of Seoul, and east of the...
,
South KoreaSouth Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often simply referred to as Korea, is a country in East Asia, located on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by China to the west, Japan to the east, and North Korea to the north. Its capital is Seoul, the second largest...
, the capital of
SillaSilla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and the longest sustained dynasty in Asian history. Although it was founded by King Park Hyeokgeose, who is also known to be the originator of the Korean family name Park , the dynasty was to see the Kyungju Kim clan hold rule for most of its...
and
Unified SillaUnified Silla or Later Silla is the name often applied to the kingdom of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, when it conquered Baekje in 660 and Goguryeo in 668, unifying the southern portion of the Korean peninsula...
. Silla tumuli, unlike their
BaekjeBaekje or Paekche was a kingdom located in southwest Korea. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla....
and
GoguryeoGoguryeo or Koguryŏ was an ancient Korean kingdom located in the northern and central parts of the Korean peninsula, southern Manchuria, and southern Russian Maritime province....
counterparts were made inaccessible because the tombs did not include passageways and corridors. Instead, deep pits were dug and lined with wood and this is where the treasures and coffin were placed. These burial pit were covered in dirt and sealed with clay and then the surface was covered with massive river boulders which was then covered with a massive mound of dirt. The heavy boulders also served to push the tombs deeper into the ground, thus making them even more inaccessible. The Silla burial mechanism made it so that grave robbers and foreign invaders could never steal their precious contents. The best of the crowns are made of pure gold and were probably reserved for kings. However, other crowns have been discovered made from gilt-bronze or gold-plated bronze, probably for princes or lesser kings. Some of the finest crowns have been excavated from the 5th century
Gold Crown TombThe Gold Crown Tomb , is a Silla tumulus located in modern-day Gyeongju, South Korea, the former capital of the ancient Silla Kingdom. Believed to date from the fifth or sixth century CE, the tomb was excavated in 1921. The tomb was the first to bear one of the sumptuous gold crowns of the Silla...
, and the 6th century Gold Bell Tomb and
Heavenly Horse TombCheonmachong, formerly Tomb No.155, is a tumulus located in Gyeongju, South Korea. The tomb was excavated in 1973 and is believed to date probably from the fifth century but perhaps from the sixth century CE...
. The adoption of Buddhism by the Silla kings in 528 CE led to the eventual decline of the practice of burying gold artifacts in tombs and by the end of the sixth century the practice had stopped.
Symbolism of the crown
The styling of the outer part of the crowns suggests a Korean connection with the Scytho-Siberians (
SakaThe Saka were a Scythian tribe, rendered in Greek as , in Chinese as , and in Sanskrit as , referring to those Scythians who founded the Indo-Scythian kingdom in the 2nd century BC.-Classical accounts:Modern historical accounts of the Indo-Scythian wars often assume that the Scythian...
) and the people of the
EurasianEurasian nomads are a large group of peoples of the Eurasian Steppe. This generic title encompasses the ethnic groups inhabiting the steppes of Central Asia, Mongolia, and Eastern Europe. They domesticated the horse, and their economy and culture emphasizes horse breeding and horse riding...
steppeIn physical geography, a steppe is a biome region characterised by grassland plain without trees . The prairie can be considered a steppe. It may be semi-desert, or covered with grass or shrubs or both, depending on the season and latitude...
. The crowns are a uniquely Korean product and show little Chinese influence. The Silla crown is also notably distinct from the
crown of BaekjeThe Crown of Baekje refers to several artifacts excavated that are believed to be the royal headgear of the kings, queens, and nobility of the Baekje Kingdom. Some of the crowns follow the same tradition as Silla crowns in that they share the tree-motif and the hints of shamanistic traditions...
, the
crown of GayaThe crowns of Gaya refers to two excavated pieces that are believed to be the headgear of the elite of the Gaya Confederacy. These crowns share the general traditions of Korean crowns, such as the use of diadems, which follows the tradition of the Baekje and the use of headbands with uprights,...
, and the crown of Goguryeo kingdoms. The tree motif of the crown is commonly believed to represent the idea of the
world treeThe World Tree is a motif present in several religions and mythologies, particularly Indo-European religions. The world tree is represented as a colossal tree which supports the heavens, thereby connecting the heavens, the earth, and, through its roots, the underground...
which was an important tenet of Siberian shamanism. However, some believe that the trident-like protrusions symbolize mountains or even birds. Additionally, the antler-like prongs also indicate a strong connection to
Korean ShamanismKorean shamanism encompasses a variety of indigenous beliefs and practices that have been influenced by Buddhism and Taoism. In contemporary Korean, shamanism is known as muism and a shaman is known as a mudang...
or the importance of the reindeer. A crown in
AfghanistanThe Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country in south central Asia. It is variously described as being located within Central Asia, South Asia, or the Middle East...
(see image) bears a strong resemblance to the other Korean crowns which is also evidence of a Scytho-Siberian connection. Additionally, the sophisticated
metalworkingMetalworking is the process of working with metals to create individual parts, assemblies, or large scale structures. The term covers a wide range of work from large ships and bridges to precise engine parts and delicate jewellery. It therefore includes a correspondingly wide range of skills,...
of the crowns show that Silla gold smiths held an advanced knowledge of working with gold. Some have even theorized that these advanced goldworking techniques, such as
granulationGranulation can refer to:*"The act or process of forming or crystallizing into grains" ** commonly referred to in chemical engineering and powder technology*Granulation tissue, a product of healing in major wounds;...
and
filigreeFiligree is a jewel work of a delicate kind made with twisted threads usually of gold and silver or stitching of the same curvy motif...
, came from the Greek or the Etruscan people, especially because Silla tumuli also contain beads and glassware which came from as far away as the Mediterranean Sea.
The delicate nature of the gold crowns comes from the fact they were made from cutting thin sheet gold. The crown is impractical to wear and some believe that the crown may have been made specifically as a burial good. The use of
gogokGobeunok or Gogok refers to comma-shaped or curved beads and jewels, found in Korea and Japan. Gogok is also sometimes romanized as "kogok" and "kokkok" or "kokok." In Japanese, they are called magatama....
, or comma-shaped curved jewels also point to a Siberian influence and the importance of the bear cult. There may also be a connection with ancient Japan because the gogok were used extensively by the ruling elite of that society as well. These comma-shaped jewels of jade and glass may have symbolized the fruits and the bounty of trees. The use of many tiny gold mirrors dangling from the crown has led some to hypothesize that the crown, worn in sunlight, would be a dazzling spectacle reinforcing the tradition role of the Silla king as the symbolic representation of the sun on earth.
The crowns come in two major parts. The inner part is a golden cap, which may have been covered in silk. This cap would sit within the band of the outer crown. There is a third part of the crown, namely the chains of gold with attached jade that may have been attached to the outer band. However, there is significant controversy over how the crown was supposed to be worn. Some believe that the three total parts were supposed to be worn together in one crown. However, the fact that the three parts of the crown have been found in three distinct areas of certain tombs, such as the
Heavenly Horse TombCheonmachong, formerly Tomb No.155, is a tumulus located in Gyeongju, South Korea. The tomb was excavated in 1973 and is believed to date probably from the fifth century but perhaps from the sixth century CE...
suggests that the three objects are, in fact, three different types of crowns for different occasions.
National Treasures of Korea
South Korea has officially designated some Silla crowns as
national treasures , others as
treasures .
National Treasure No. 87
The
Gold Crown from Geumgwanchong is the largest golden crown discovered. The
Gold Crown TombThe Gold Crown Tomb , is a Silla tumulus located in modern-day Gyeongju, South Korea, the former capital of the ancient Silla Kingdom. Believed to date from the fifth or sixth century CE, the tomb was excavated in 1921. The tomb was the first to bear one of the sumptuous gold crowns of the Silla...
(
Geumgwanchong) was named after this treasure. It was designated as a national treasure on December 12, 1962.
The crown is 44 centimeters in height and has a diameter of 19 centimeters. It is the largest golden crown from Silla discovered thus far.
There are two parts to this crown. The outer band was discovered within the tomb while the inner cap was found outside of the tomb. The outer band consists of three tree-like branches which have three branches each. The
Chinese characterA Chinese character, also known as a Han character , is a logogram used in writing Chinese , Japanese , less frequently Korean , and formerly Vietnamese , and other languages...
chul is written three times on the hand band. Additionally, the outer head band also has two antler-like protrusions on the left and right side. All of the protrusions have jade and glass beads and tiny golden mirrors that dangle from the branches. On the sides of the headband also are two chains of gold with leaf-like decorations that end with jade jewels. These two chains hang below the head band.
The inner crown is a triangle-shaped hat made of thin sheet gold and has two wing-like decorations on it. The wings are believed to relate to Korean shamanistic beliefs.
The crown is currently housed in the
Gyeongju National MuseumThe Gyeongju National Museum is a museum in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. Its holdings are largely devoted to relics of the Silla kingdom, of which Gyeongju was the capital...
and is a masterpiece of Korean art.
National Treasure No. 188
The
Gold Crown from Cheonmachong is currently housed in Gyeongju National Museum. The crown was designated as the 188th National Treasure of Korea on December 7, 1978. The crown was found in Cheonmachong (Tomb No. 155, also known as The
Heavenly Horse TombCheonmachong, formerly Tomb No.155, is a tumulus located in Gyeongju, South Korea. The tomb was excavated in 1973 and is believed to date probably from the fifth century but perhaps from the sixth century CE...
) in 1973 and is believed to be the crown of King
SojiSoji of Silla was King of Silla . He was preceded by Jabi Maripgan and succeeded by King Jijeung .-See also:*Three Kingdoms of Korea*List of Korean monarchs*List of Silla people...
or King
JijeungJijeung of Silla was the 22nd ruler of the Korean kingdom of Silla. He is remembered for strengthening royal authority and building Silla into a centralized kingdom....
.
The crown is 32.5 centimeters in height.
There are three prongs forming the Chinese character “mountain” on the front of the crown. There are also two prongs in the shape of a deer antler on the back. This crown also has two dangling chains of gold in the shape of leaves hanging from the end of the headband. Notably, the tree-like prongs of this crown have four branches instead of the more common used three branch motif. There is still controversy of how this crown was to be worn because of where it was found in the tomb in relation to the coffin.
National Treasure No. 191
The
Gold crown with pendants from the north mound of Tumulus No. 98 (
Heavenly Horse TombCheonmachong, formerly Tomb No.155, is a tumulus located in Gyeongju, South Korea. The tomb was excavated in 1973 and is believed to date probably from the fifth century but perhaps from the sixth century CE...
) and is currently housed in the
National Museum of KoreaThe National Museum of Korea is the flagship museum of Korean history and art in South Korea and is the cultural organization that represents Korea. It was first established in 1945. In October 2005, the museum opened in a new building in Yongsan Family Park in Seoul, South Korea. The museum...
and is one of the most popular exhibits there, along with the
BangasayusangThe Bangasayusang, or Geumdong Mireuk Bosal Bangasayusang , is a gilt-bronze statue of what is believed to be the Maitreya, the future Buddha, in a semi-seated contemplative pose. It is commonly referred to as the Contemplative Bodhisattva or Gilt-Bronze Seated Maitreya in English...
. It is a National Treasure of Korea and was named as one on December 12, 1978. The height of the crown is 27.5 centimeters and the gold chains and pendants that dangle from the crown, known as
Suhasik are 13 to 30.3 centimeters in length. The crown is known for its abundant use of jade. The
Suhasik are grouped into two groups of three and are arranged with the longest chains on the outer edge to the smallest chains closest to the front of the crown. The
Suhasik also hold blue jade and golden leaves on the end of the chains. There is still a controversy of whether the
Suhasik are actually a part of the crown, namely because the
Suhasik were found separate from the crown when excavated. The crown has three tree-like prongs with three branches each and also has two antler-like prongs on the left and right side of the main band. The tree-like prongs of the crown have been interpreted by some scholars as the Chinese character for “mountain”. Decorations of a deer horn are attached to the ends of the crown. 77 pieces of
jadeJade is an ornamental stone.The term jade is applied to two different metamorphic rocks that are made up of different silicate minerals:...
were adorned on the crown. Sixteen pieces of comma-shaped blue jade were attached to the Chinese characters, nine pieces of jade on the deer horn, and eleven pieces on the head girdle. This crown is particularly noted for its abundant use of jade.
This crown may have been made for a queen and there is a significant controversy about who was buried in the tomb.
Treasure No. 338
This crown, known as
Gold crown from Geumnyeongchong Tumulus , is currently housed at the
National Museum of KoreaThe National Museum of Korea is the flagship museum of Korean history and art in South Korea and is the cultural organization that represents Korea. It was first established in 1945. In October 2005, the museum opened in a new building in Yongsan Family Park in Seoul, South Korea. The museum...
. At 27 centimeters in heights and 15 centimeters in diameter, it is the smallest Silla crown discovered thus far, and the simplest. Like a typical Silla crown, it has five main prongs. The tree-like prongs, shaped like the Chinese character
chul, which means “going out”, are placed on the front and sides of the headband. The tree-like prongs have four branches each. There are two antler-like prongs which flank the two side tree-like prongs. Additionally, there are birds on top of each branch. On the upper and lower part of the surface are two-lined spot patterns made with a stamping technique. Hanging ornaments hang at the right and left side of the crown frame.
This crown has the distinction of being the only gold crown made solely of gold without any jade accouterments.
Treasure No. 339
The
Gold crown from Seobongchong Tumulus is a gold crown of Silla origin that is now housed at the
Gyeongju National MuseumThe Gyeongju National Museum is a museum in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. Its holdings are largely devoted to relics of the Silla kingdom, of which Gyeongju was the capital...
.
The crown is 24.7 centimeters in height, 18.4 centimeters in diameter, and 30.7 high when the ornaments hanging from the headband. There are five branches standing on the broad crown frame which is stamped with a wave pattern and stamped in a form of a dotted line. The headband is decorated with leaf-shapes and bent jade.
The right and left most branches, along with the middle branches of the five branches, are composed of the Chinese character in three prongs. The tips of the branches are decorated with a budding flower ornament.
Two crossing gold belts having the tip on the each 4 dividing points of the crown frame, construct the inside framework.
At the both sides of the crown frame, styled-earrings are dangling from the headband.
Treasure No. 631
The
Silver crown from the south mound of Tumulus No. 98, is a silver crown and was found near the head of the body in the coffin of the tomb. The crown is currently housed in
Gyeongju National MuseumThe Gyeongju National Museum is a museum in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. Its holdings are largely devoted to relics of the Silla kingdom, of which Gyeongju was the capital...
. The measurements of the crown are: 17.2 centimeters in height, 16.6 centimeters in diameter, the width of the headband is 3.2 centimeters. The crown has three prongs but they are unique to any other kind of Silla crown discovered thus far. The center prong is thick and shaped like a shield or a perhaps a shape bent like a bow with a high middle section. There is a silver plate attached to this prong. On either side of the center prong is a crescent-shaped prong. The outer side of these crescent-shaped prongs are cut and twisted to make feather-like protrusions which are unique to Silla art. However, there is an analogous example of this feather-like embellishment from a crown of Gaya providence found at the Uiseongtamni Tumulus. The Eungwan crown was uncovered in Tumuli Park of Michu Royal Tomb in Gyeongju. The mound is connected from the north and south and so has the shape of a gourd. With a diameter of 80 meters from east to west and 120 meters from north to south, it is the largest mound of Silla. The south mound is 23 meters in height, the north mound, which is were National Treasure No. 191 was uncovered, is 22 meters in height.
See also
- Korean art
Korean art is art originating or practiced in Korea or by Korean artists, from ancient times to today. Korea is noted for its artistic traditions in pottery, music, calligraphy, and other genres, often marked by the use of bold color, natural forms, and surface decoration.-Introduction:The earliest...
- Three Kingdoms of Korea
The Three Kingdoms of Korea refer to the ancient Korean kingdom of Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla, which dominated the Korean peninsula and parts of Manchuria for much of the 1st millennium CE...
- History of Korea
The history of Korea stretches from Lower Paleolithic times to the present. The earliest known Korean pottery dates to around 8000 BC, and the Neolithic period began before 6000 BC, followed by the Bronze Age around 2500 BC...
- Crown of Baekje
The Crown of Baekje refers to several artifacts excavated that are believed to be the royal headgear of the kings, queens, and nobility of the Baekje Kingdom. Some of the crowns follow the same tradition as Silla crowns in that they share the tree-motif and the hints of shamanistic traditions...
- Crown of Gaya
The crowns of Gaya refers to two excavated pieces that are believed to be the headgear of the elite of the Gaya Confederacy. These crowns share the general traditions of Korean crowns, such as the use of diadems, which follows the tradition of the Baekje and the use of headbands with uprights,...
External links