The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Guide to Chuseok celebrations across Korea

  • 3

    Court rejects arrest warrant for opposition leader Lee over corruption charges

  • 5

    Royal palaces in Seoul offer free access during Chuseok holiday

  • 7

    N. Korea decides to expel US soldier Travis King over border crossing

  • 9

    Hyundai E&C to build upmarket apartment complex in Seoul's Gwanak District

  • 11

    Korea on track to prove esports prowess at Asian Games

  • 13

    Lotte focuses on health care, mobility to spur growth

  • 15

    Teen swimmer Lee Eun-ji shrugs off freak injury to end quarter-century drought in pool

  • 17

    Travis King in US custody after expulsion by N. Korea: Washington officials

  • 19

    Samsung SDI to spend $1.97 bil. on 2nd joint US battery plant with Stellantis

  • 2

    Chuseok exodus begins ahead of extended 6-day holiday

  • 4

    INTERVIEWWith '30 Days,' Kang Ha-neul finds new level of comfort in acting

  • 6

    Korea sees record-low births in July

  • 8

    Political battle intensifies after court rejects Lee's arrest warrant

  • 10

    DMZ Open Int'l Music Festival to be held in Goyang in November

  • 12

    Two Koreas trade barbs over nuclear war

  • 14

    Defense ministry launches project to find families of unidentified fallen Korean War soldiers

  • 16

    DPK hails court's rejection of Lee's arrest, demands Yoon's apology

  • 18

    Top prosecutor vows to seek due punishment for Lee through further probe

  • 20

    Finance minister expects Korea's exports to rebound as early as October

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
Fri, September 29, 2023 | 09:43
Theater & Others
More human sacrifice evidence unearthed at Gyeongju palace site
Posted : 2021-09-07 16:22
Updated : 2021-09-07 17:05
Park Ji-won
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Seen are the newly discovered remains of a woman believed to have died in her 20s around the mid-4th century at the Wolseong Palace excavation site in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, in this undated photo released by the Gyeongju National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (GNRICH), Tuesday. Courtesy of GNRICH
Seen are the newly discovered remains of a woman believed to have died in her 20s around the mid-4th century at the Wolseong Palace excavation site in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, in this undated photo released by the Gyeongju National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (GNRICH), Tuesday. Courtesy of GNRICH

By Park Ji-won

The remains of a woman believed to have been killed as a human sacrifice in her 20s as early as the 4th century have been uncovered along with a bracelet, a necklace, a vessel and animal bones, at the Wolseong Palace excavation site in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, the Gyeongju National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (GNRICH) revealed, Tuesday.

It is the second time that traces of what appears to be a human sacrifice have been found, following the 2017 discovery of two bodies ― a man and woman in their 50s ― some 50 centimeters away from the newly discovered skeletal remains that were uncovered in April during excavation and academic research on the western rampart. They are the first cases in Korea to be identified as possibly human sacrifice, killed in the process of building the palace between the early 4th and early 5th centuries during the early Silla period.

The excavation of the Silla-era palace commenced in December 2014. In 1985 and 1990, about 20 sets of remains were found within about 10 meters of the site, but they were not identified as human sacrifices due to the lack of evidence.

Seen are the newly discovered remains of a woman believed to have died in her 20s around the mid-4th century at the Wolseong Palace excavation site in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, in this undated photo released by the Gyeongju National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (GNRICH), Tuesday. Courtesy of GNRICH
Seen is a picture showing newly found remains of a woman in her 20s as well as the site of the remains of a man and woman in their 50s from the early Silla period at the Wolseong Palace excavation site in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, in this undated photo released by the Gyeongju National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (GNRICH), Tuesday. Courtesy of GNRICH

"The three bodies are buried in the section built previous to the main wall of the rampart," Jang Gi-myung, a researcher at GNRICH, said during an online press conference. "Based on the fact that they are located near the main entrance and along with the selected bones of animals as if protecting the wall, we could assume that they were buried as part of a ritual for the safe construction of the architecture." He added the wall was made in four stages but the bodies were buried right after leveling the land and right before erecting the frames of the construction.

Kim Hun-suk, another GNRICH researcher, said, "Further research may help us figure out the detailed process of the burial, but there aren't enough materials to show how the person was buried there. However, it appears that the person was buried after death based on the fact that there's no signs of struggle and the body is facing the sky while lying down in a straight position. The body is estimated to be 135 centimeters tall based on the small size of the bones, which supports the fact that the remains are those of a woman."

Considering signs of poor nutrition visible in her teeth and other markers, she appears to have belonged to a lower social class. All three sets of remains show signs of having lived with malnutrition.

The new remains are different from the previous two sets as it was wearing a necklace and bracelet.

GNRICH said a bowl was also found placed on the shoulder of the remains and that is significant in terms of estimating the date of the construction, which has received varying estimates from different researchers and data, as the relic is similar to that of other vessels found in the mid-4th century, in the middle of the Three Kingdoms period.

Wolseong Palace was thought to have been built during the reign of King Pasa of Silla or the year 101 based on Samguk sagi ― a historical record of the three kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla ― and Samguk yusa ― a book of legends and folktales of the three kingdoms. But the new findings may call on researchers to reconsider this estimate, as the vessels and the construction more closely resemble those made in the 4th century.


Emailjwpark@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
miguel
wooribank
LG
Top 10 Stories
1Guide to Chuseok celebrations across KoreaGuide to Chuseok celebrations across Korea
2Chuseok exodus begins ahead of extended 6-day holiday Chuseok exodus begins ahead of extended 6-day holiday
3Korea sees record-low births in July Korea sees record-low births in July
4Political battle intensifies after court rejects Lee's arrest warrant Political battle intensifies after court rejects Lee's arrest warrant
5Hyundai E&C to build upmarket apartment complex in Seoul's Gwanak District Hyundai E&C to build upmarket apartment complex in Seoul's Gwanak District
6DMZ Open Int'l Music Festival to be held in Goyang in November DMZ Open Int'l Music Festival to be held in Goyang in November
7Korea on track to prove esports prowess at Asian Games Korea on track to prove esports prowess at Asian Games
8Two Koreas trade barbs over nuclear war Two Koreas trade barbs over nuclear war
9Lotte focuses on health care, mobility to spur growth Lotte focuses on health care, mobility to spur growth
10Defense ministry launches project to find families of unidentified fallen Korean War soldiers Defense ministry launches project to find families of unidentified fallen Korean War soldiers
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Trailblazing nonagenarian artist honored for redefining Korean fiber art Trailblazing nonagenarian artist honored for redefining Korean fiber art
2[INTERVIEW] With '30 Days,' Kang Ha-neul finds new level of comfort in acting INTERVIEWWith '30 Days,' Kang Ha-neul finds new level of comfort in acting
3Rwandan artists bring diversity to Seoul's art scene Rwandan artists bring diversity to Seoul's art scene
4[INTERVIEW] ONEUS returns as 'mermaid prince' INTERVIEWONEUS returns as 'mermaid prince'
5Kep1er unveils 'Magic Hour' with fresh perspective on love Kep1er unveils 'Magic Hour' with fresh perspective on love
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group