9 July 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

The new type of Silla tombs discovered in Gyeongju, South Korea

Archaeologists have made a groundbreaking discovery in the ancient capital of the Silla Kingdom (57 BC-AD 935) in the ancient tombs site at Jjoksaem in Gyeongju that challenges long-held assumptions about early Korean burial practices.

Gyeongju, also known as Seorabeol, is a coastal city in the far southeastern corner of North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. The ancient tombs site at Jjoksaem in Gyeongju serves as a collective burial ground for Silla royalty and nobility located to the east of the Daereungwon Ancient Tomb Complex, which houses the Cheonmachong Tomb and Hwangnamdaechong Tomb—tombs of Silla’s prominent rulers.

The Silla kingdom ruled south-eastern Korea during the Three Kingdoms period from the 1st century BCE to the 7th century CE. The capital was Geumseong (Gyeongju) with a centralized government and hierarchical system of social ranks. In the ancient world, the Korean kingdom of Silla was renowned as a country of gold.

Two recently excavated tombs in Gyeongju’s Jjoksaem district have revealed a previously unknown burial type for the period, according to a statement made on Wednesday by the Gyeongju National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage.

Typical early Silla burials feature a wooden frame (dutneol) for the body, covered by an earthen mound and surrounded by a distinctive stone boundary. The newly discovered tombs, provisionally named J171 and J172, lack this characteristic stone perimeter.


Artifacts discovered in the burial site. Photo: Gyeongju National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage
Artifacts discovered in the burial site. Photo: Gyeongju National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage

“This is the first time we’ve encountered Silla-era tombs without the stone boundary,” said an institute official.

In addition, archaeologists also uncovered a trove of artifacts within the mounds, including decorated pottery lids, legged bowls, and an array of silver-laden equipment for horses – a rarity in previous excavations. The rare silver horse ornaments have sparked particular interest, as they are considered to have been important status symbols in ancient Silla society.

Since 2021, the Gyeongju National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage has conducted annual surveys and research to uncover the nature of these tombs. As a result of this effort, important tomb data was obtained and approximately 40 previously undiscovered Silla tombs were identified. Building on these successes, the Institute intends to elucidate the central tombs of Gyeongju and investigate the features of the tombs in more detail.

Gyeongju National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage

Cover Photo: The newly discovered tombs, provisionally named J171 and J172, in Gyeongju’s Jjoksaem district. Gyeongju National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage

Related Articles

Archaeologists Find 11 Sealed Middle Kingdom Burials Full of Jewelry in Luxor, Egypt

4 November 2024

4 November 2024

The South Asasif Conservation Project, an Egyptian-American mission working under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, has...

An archaeological dig at Govan Old Churchyard revealed a remarkable new find: an early medieval ‘Govan Warrior’ stone

19 September 2023

19 September 2023

An archaeological excavation in the churchyard at Govan Old Parish Church in Glasgow, a port city on the River Clyde...

Scientists Find Aztec ‘Death Whistles’ do Weird Things to the Listeners’ Brains

18 November 2024

18 November 2024

New research reveals that one of the Aztecs’ most chilling artefacts, clay death whistles, which resemble a human skull and...

Stonehenge’s Altar Stone May Be From Scotland, Over 700 Kilometers Away

14 August 2024

14 August 2024

Recent research led by Curtin University suggests that the Altar Stone at Stonehenge may have originated in northeast Scotland, at...

A previously unknown Roman fort discovered in Pembrokeshire in Wales

8 August 2024

8 August 2024

A previously unknown Roman fort has been discovered in north Pembrokeshire. The site, which has excited archaeologists, had been hidden...

The Secret of the Shipwrecks at Theodosius Harbor: 1,600 Years Old Women’s Sandals and Comb

11 April 2023

11 April 2023

The 1,600-year-old sandals and comb unearthed during the excavations of Theodosius Harbor (Portus Theodosiacus), the second-biggest harbor built on the...

Human blood proteins were found in the red paint on a 1,000-year-old gold mask from Peru

27 October 2021

27 October 2021

Traces of human blood have been discovered in the red paint that decorated a gold mask found on the remains...

An artificial intelligence “Ithaca” that will improve our understanding of ancient history

11 March 2022

11 March 2022

A deep neural network trained to restore ancient Greek texts can do so with 72% accuracy when used by historians,...

The researchers may have cracked the mystery of da Vinci’s DNA

7 July 2021

7 July 2021

A recent study of Leonardo da Vinci’s family tree indicates that the renowned Renaissance artist, inventor, and anatomist had 14...

Archaeologists Discovered Submerged Stoa Complex in Ancient Salamis, Greece

27 October 2023

27 October 2023

Archaeologists exploring the east coast of Salamis, the largest Greek island in the Saronic Gulf, discovered a large, long, and...

A Nymphaeum was discovered in the ancient Thracian city of Perperikon

18 August 2023

18 August 2023

New researchs uncovered a huge monumental sanctuary of water (Nymphaeum) above the reservoir in the southern quarter of Perperikon. Professor...

Israeli researchers uncover earliest evidence silver used as currency in Levant

9 January 2023

9 January 2023

On Sunday, Israeli archaeologists revealed that they had found the earliest proof of silver being used as money in the...

“One of the outstanding discoveries of recent decades”: Gold coin reveals unknown British King

20 October 2023

20 October 2023

New light has been shed on a little-known part of British history thanks to the extraordinary discovery of a coin...

The latest discovery at the villa Civita Giuliana, north of Pompeii, the remains of a slave room

7 November 2021

7 November 2021

Ella IDE Pompeii archaeologists announced Saturday the discovery of the remnants of a “slave room” in an exceedingly unusual find...

Anthropologists say humans have been using personal ornaments to communicate about themselves without the fuss of conversation – for millennia

24 September 2021

24 September 2021

Anthropologists believe that for millennia, individuals have used personal decorations to communicate about themselves without the hassle of dialogue. They...