First Excavation of Lower Elite Tombs on Gajin Ridge at Hapcheon Okjeon Tumuli Cluster

Contributing to the Study of the Subordinate Ruling Class Characteristics and Armament System of the Okjeon Tumuli Cluster

Survey area panorama (directly above) [Image source=Hapcheon-gun]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] Hapcheon-gun, Gyeongnam Province, is conducting maintenance projects by establishing systematic relic management and preservation plans along with promoting the registration of the Hapcheon Okjeon Burial Mounds, Historic Site No. 326, as a World Heritage site.

Since 2020, excavation investigations have been underway on the branch ridges of Okjeon Hill, where it is presumed that lower-ranking rulers are buried.

The Okjeon Burial Mounds are a communal cemetery where the highest rulers of the 'Dara Kingdom,' mentioned only by name in ancient texts, are buried. It is regarded as an essential site for the restoration and research of Gaya history and the study of ancient East Asian history.

The county announced the results of the investigations conducted since December 2020 at an academic advisory meeting held on June 10.

The meeting was attended by Professor Emeritus Jo Young-je of Gyeongsang National University, Professor Emeritus Shin Kyung-chul of Pusan National University, Professor Park Kwang-chun of Dong-A University, officials from the province and Hapcheon-gun, and the excavation team from the Far East Cultural Heritage Research Institute.

This excavation is the first investigation of the branch ridges of the Okjeon Burial Mounds. Until now, excavations focused only on the main ridge area where the highest rulers are buried, and there had been no investigations of the branch ridges where lower-ranking rulers are presumed to be buried, limiting the understanding of the entire construction group of the Okjeon Burial Mounds.

Fortunately, the structures and artifacts confirmed in this investigation are expected to contribute to clarifying the nature and social aspects of the construction group of the Okjeon Burial Mounds.

The investigation confirmed 43 structures, including two wooden coffin tombs and 36 stone coffin tombs from the Three Kingdoms period, four jar coffin tombs, and one tomb from the Goryeo period.

Artifacts totaling about 250 items, including pottery and ironware, were excavated. The pottery mainly consists of Daegaya-type pottery with some Changnyeong-type pottery identified.

This pottery is the same as that found on the main ridge and is dated from the late 5th century to the mid-6th century.

Additionally, weapons and armor such as neck guards (mokgarigae), large ring-handled swords, iron helmets, and iron arrowheads, which are rarely found in the tombs of lower-ranking rulers of this period, were excavated. These findings are expected to greatly aid research on the armed systems of the lower-ranking rulers of Gaya, including the construction group of the Hapcheon Okjeon Burial Mounds.

An official from the county stated, "The results of this excavation will serve as a new turning point for the investigation, research, and maintenance projects of the Okjeon Burial Mounds and will contribute to the ongoing World Heritage registration efforts. We also plan to promote the designation of the nearby Seongsan Earthen Fortress as a historic site to develop it as a differentiated Gaya historical and cultural exploration site compared to other cities and counties."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.