The magnificent Silla

Korea’s Ancient Egyptians

In 57 BC, 10 years before Cleopatra met Caesar, legend has it that the 13-year-old King Hyeokgeose founded the Silla Dynasty that was to rule much of today’s Korea until 935 AD. Like the Ancient Egyptians, they buried their kings, queens and noblemen in graves together with prize possessions for the afterlife. Also, a bit like the Egyptians, they then covered these graves in large mounds of earth. They aren’t anything like the scale of the pyramids, but the similarities are striking.
Burial mounds in a park in Gyeongju
Some Silla burial mounds in a park in Gyeongju
Hundreds of these burial mounds are to be found scattered around the centre of the town of Gyeongju, the old Silla capital. You turn a street corner and, surprise, on the other side of the road there’s a grassy Teletubby-like hill or two that are ancient burial mounds! The town’s pleasant parks all have one thing in common: they have burial mounds scattered around them. So, it might come as a surprise that no-one in town over the centuries looted them.
An inkling of the treasures contained within them only came to light in 1921, when a passing Japanese policeman was curious to know where the cobalt blue beads that kids were playing with had come from. “From the mound that was flattened to extend that neighbourhood house!” came the reply. After excavation by Japanese archeologists, a magnificent crown and other treasures were discovered at that site. Then from the 1970s onwards, archeological digs unearthed more and more treasures. The digs continue today.
A Silla gold diadem
A gold diadem representing a bird with extended wings, adorned with over 400 gold hanging discs attached by fine gold wire. From the tomb discovered in 1921, it was found inside a specialised wooden burial box alongside the deceased monarch’s head. 5th-6th century
The great bell in Gyongju
King Seongdeok’s Bell, cast in 771 and weighing an incredible 18.9 tonnes. It wasn’t until 700 years later that bells of this size were cast in Europe.
Historians doubt some of the veracity of the Silla legends. Baby Hyeokgeose, for example, allegedly emerged from an egg laid by a white horse, so they are not sure he really founded the dynasty. What is more certain is that the end of the dynasty was in sight when the city was comprehensively sacked in 927 AD by rebel Gyeon Hwon. His army amassed huge hoards of gold and treasures and carted them back to their base in Wansanju in a wagon train that allegedly stretched for miles.
So, what we have today is only a small fraction of what there must have been. But the craftsmanship is stunning, and I hope these photos of some of the objects in the Gyeongju National Museum give some idea of what a rich dynasty the Silla must have been
Silla crown of gold and jade
The magnificent Crown of Cheonmachong, made of gold and decorated with jade. Early 6th century.
Earrings from a Silla tomb
Gold pendant earrings from the 6th century
A Silla ceramic of an auspicious animal
A turtle-shaped ceramic vessel from the late 3rd century.
A Silla gold cap

An inner cap of gold, which was designed to be worn over a fabric or silk hat, either on its own or tucked inside the frame of a grand Silla gold crown. From the Cheonmachong tomb, early 6th century.
A bronze Silla container in the shape of a square temple with musicians around the four corners
A bronze container housing the sacred cremated remains of a high-ranking monk or Buddha from the inner chamber of a pagoda. The musicians serve and honor the sacred relic. From around 682.
A green-glazed tile of a protector king from the Silla period
A large green-glazed tile of a Guardian Deity from around 679, attributed to the legendary Silla master sculptor Monk Yangj.
A Silla glass bead necklace
A Silla necklace from the 5th century, made of inlaid coloured glass beads.
by Chris

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