Crown of Baekje | |
Korean name | |
---|---|
Hangul | 금제관식 |
Hanja | 金製冠飾 |
Revised Romanization | Geumje Gwansik |
McCune–Reischauer | Kŭmje Kwansik |
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. However,the diadems of the kings and queens suggest that Baekje people had a distinct tradition for their royal headgear. [1]
The Geumjegwansik are a pair of two gold diadems that were worn by the king of Baekje. Designated on July 9,1974,they are the 154th national treasure of Korea. The Gongju National Museum currently holds these diadems in their collection. They were excavated from the King Muryeong's tomb in Gongju,South Korea in 1971. The diadems were neatly stacked on top of each other and were found placed near the head of the king in the coffin.
The first of the pair of diadems is 30.7 centimeters tall and 14 centimeters in width,while the second is 29.2 centimeters tall and 13.6 centimeters in width. The diadems were cut from thin plate gold which was only two millimeters in thickness.
At the bottom of both diadems is a ring which is believed to have been used to hook and attach the diadems to a royal cap,presumably made from silk. Based on historical records the king was said to have decorated a gold flower on the back of his black cloth hat. It is believed these diadems would be placed on the left and right or front and back of the royal cap. The diadems would be placed on both sides of the cap and would resemble wings,an important motif in shamanism that probably represented a belief in rebirth.
The whole diadem looks like a mass of vines or branches that are shaped into a flame-like pattern. Flower-like patterns are at the top of the diadem and the lower right and left as well. The flame-like pattern and honeysuckle-arabesque pattern,may have also been derived from Buddhist traditions because of their similarities to the halos of Buddhist sculpture. The diadems are also decorated with many spangles of gold.
The diadem is the first of its kind excavated from a Baekje chamber tomb,because those types of tombs were easily accessible to grave robbers,and gives new insight into Baekje art and the culture of the Baekje royalty.
The Geumjegwansik (Gold ornaments for the diadem of the queen) are identical in shape and size and were found in the same tomb as national treasure of Korea No.154,in King Muryeong's tomb. They are the 155th national treasure and were designated on July 9,1974. The diadems were found in the head of the queen's coffin,placed neatly on top of each other.
They are both 22.6 centimeters in height and 13.4 centimeters in width. These diadems were made by cutting sheet gold. They are ornamented by carving into the gold and the elaborate branch pattern was attached to these plates. Honeysuckle and lotus motifs shape the ornaments and overall shape gives them the impression of a flame. Like the king's ornaments,it is believed that these two diadems were attached to the sides of a royal cap. Unlike the king's diadems,the queen's were not adorned with spangles.
The Gilt-bronze Crown from the Sinchon-ri Tumulus (Naju sincholli gobun chuldogeum donggwan) is from the Three Kingdoms of Korea period. It was designated as the 295th national treasure of Korea on September 22,1997,and is currently housed at the National Museum of Korea. Excavated in 1917–1918,it was found at Sinchon-ri,Naju at the Bannam-myeon excavation. [2]
The crown is about 25.5 centimeters in height. This crown seems to follow in the general tradition of Silla crowns but is notably different as well. The inner crown is a copper cap made from two cylindrical plates. The inner crown is similar to the ones excavated from Ipjeom-ri of Jeollabuk-do Province. The outer crown has three tree-like prongs placed on the outer band but unlike their Silla counterparts which are highly stylized;these branches are elaborate and ornamental in style.
There is still uncertainty about who the crown is for. It is believed to be for the leader of the region and is unlikely that it was a crown for the king. The crown may have been made from the region it was excavated or sent as a gift by the Baekje king to his vassal.
Muryeong was the 25th king of Baekje,one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. During his reign,Baekje remained allied with Silla against Goguryeo,and expanded its relationships with China and Japan.
Baekje or Paekche was a Korean kingdom located in southwestern Korea from 18 BCE to 660 CE. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea,together with Goguryeo and Silla. While the three kingdoms were in separate existence,Baekje had the highest population of approximately 3,800,000 people,which was much larger than that of Silla and similar to that of Goguryeo.
Ungjin,also known as Gomanaru is a former city on the Korean Peninsula. It was located in modern-day Gongju,South Chungcheong province,South Korea. It was the capital of Baekje from AD 475 to 538,during a period when Baekje was under threat from Goguryeo,the previous capital of Wiryeseong having been overrun. In 538,King Seong moved the capital to Sabi. Ungjin is now known as Gongju.
Gobeunok or Gogok are comma-shaped or curved beads and jewels that appeared from middle age of Mumun Period through the Three Kingdoms of Korea. The Gogok is posited by researchers to have been a symbol of prestige among Mumun culture community leaders as the tombs of presumably powerful figures were oftentimes accompanied by bronze daggers,stone daggers,and comma-shaped jewels. The Gogok's role as a symbol of prestige would carry onto the Three Kingdoms Period of Korea (as Gogok would remain a salient feature of Korean royal paraphernalia. They range in size range from 1 to 10 centimetres,and are oftentimes fashioned with a hole to be attached or threaded to another object. The origin of these comma-shaped jewels are posited by some to originate from the dragon-shaped jadeite ornament of the Hongshan culture of the Liao River Basin. However,due to the spatial and temporal distance,most researchers have been skeptical of their genealogical relationship. The generally accepted interpretation in academia is that the form of the comma-shaped jewel originated from the canine teeth of predator animals such as the Magatama of Japan from the late Jōmon period or as a symbol of a half-moon sacred to moon worshippers,or as a symbol of fetus and or fertility.
Seong was the 26th king of Baekje,one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He was a son of Muryeong of Baekje and is best known for making Buddhism the state religion,moving the national capital to Sabi,and reclaiming the center of the Korean Peninsula. His demise eventually came at the hands of an ally who betrayed him. The name Seong translates as 'The Holy.'
Uija was the 31st and final ruler of Baekje,one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. His reign ended when Baekje was conquered by an alliance of the rival Korean kingdom Silla and China's Tang dynasty.
National Treasure (Korean: 국보) is a national-level designation within the heritage preservation system of South Korea for tangible objects of significant artistic,cultural and historical value. Examples of objects include art,artifacts,sites,or buildings. It is administered by the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA). Additions to the list are decided by the Cultural Heritage Committee.
Korean arts include traditions in calligraphy,music,painting and pottery,often marked by the use of natural forms,surface decoration and bold colors or sounds.
Korean architecture refers to an architectural style that developed over centuries in Korea. Throughout the history of Korea,various kingdoms and royal dynasties have developed a unique style of architecture with influences from Buddhism and Korean Confucianism.
The crowns of Silla were made in the Korean kingdom of Silla approximately in the 5th–7th centuries.
Geumsansa is a temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism standing on the slopes of Moaksan in Gimje City,Jeollabuk-do,South Korea.
Cheonmachong,formerly Tomb No. 155,is a tumulus located in Gyeongju,North Gyeongsang Province,South Korea.
The Gold Crown Tomb (Geumgwanchong),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. It was the first tomb that was found to contain a gold crown of the Silla royalty,and is still the largest crown excavated thus far. The tomb takes its name from the crown. Over 40,000 other artifacts were recovered from the tomb,including "gold,silver,and bronze vessels,gold and silver weapons,gilt-bronze plate armor,stoneware vessels,20,000 mainly blue Indo-Pacific beads,and horse fittings."
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The Tomb of King Muryeong,also known as Songsan-ri Tomb No. 7,is the ancient tumulus of King Muryeong,who ruled the Baekje from 501 to 523,and his queen. The rarity of intact Baekje tombs makes this one of the major archaeological discoveries in Korea and a crucial source for the understanding of Baekje,one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea.
Seoksu is a stone animal statue in the image of a beast,placed at or within a tomb or palace. This kind of protective stone animal originated from the funeral customs of the Eastern Han dynasty. Seoksu could also be placed in the pile of the stone and rubble used to surround the tomb and can be found carved on the bases of pagodas.
Korean Buddhist sculpture is one of the major areas of Korean art. Buddhism,a religion originating in what is now India,was transmitted to Korea via China in the late 4th century. Buddhism introduced major changes in Korean society. The complexity of the religious sutras sent to Korea required the aristocrats who adopted the religion to become literate and required the training and importation of literate scribes. Little evidence of religious art exists in Korea before the introduction of Buddhism. Subsequent to its introduction,the religion inspired the production of devotional art as well as the beginnings of sophisticated temple architecture.
Gongju National Museum is a national museum in Gongju,South Korea. The Gongju National Museum holds 10,000 artifacts including 19 national treasures and 3 treasures excavated in Daejeon and Chungcheongnam-do areas,especially artifacts from Tomb of King Muryeong.
The Baekje Historic Areas are a group of monuments located in three South Korean cities:Gongju,Buyeo,and Iksan. They relate to the last period of the Baekje Kingdom,representing the period from 475 to 660 CE,which was one of the three kingdoms that flourished from 18 BC to 660 CE. The property designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site has eight archaeological sites. These are:The Gongsanseong fortress and the royal tombs at Songsan-ri,related to the capital city of Ungjin,now Gongju;the Busosanseong Fortress and Gwanbuk-ri administrative buildings,the Jeongnimsa Temple,the Neungsan-ri royal tombs,and the Naseong city wall in Sabi,now Buyeo;and the Wanggung-ri Palace and the Mireuksa Temple in Iksan,a subsidiary capital region of Sabi.