Skeleton with Height 180cm Found in Gyeongju Silla Tomb

The Tallest Warrior Among the Wounded in the Three Kingdoms Era

Human skeletal remains approximately 180 cm tall were discovered in a Silla-era tomb in Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk.

The Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation announced on the 15th that during an excavation at the Tapdong site in Gyeongju, where about 180 Silla tombs have been identified, they found male skeletal remains believed to be the tallest among the interred individuals from the Three Kingdoms period.

The site confirmed was Tomb No. 2, a pit coffin tomb. At the time of excavation, the height was measured at 175 cm, but since the jaw was pulled toward the chest, the actual height was close to 180 cm. The average height of male skeletal remains investigated in tombs from the Three Kingdoms period has been 165 cm.

The face of these skeletal remains was not facing upward. The feet were positioned almost perpendicular to the legs, indicating an uncomfortable posture. The foundation speculated, "It is possible that the coffin was not made to fit the size of the body, and the remains were placed in a pre-made coffin."

Anthropological examination revealed that the spine of the deceased was deformed. The research team plans to investigate whether this deformation occurred during the burial process or if there was an actual disc condition. An official stated, "Through archaeological investigation and pathological research, we may be able to infer the activities and occupation of the deceased at that time."

The National Gyeongju Cultural Heritage Research Institute and the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation will conduct studies such as physical anthropology and pathology on the recovered skeletal remains. They plan to clarify the lifestyle and funeral customs of the Silla people and reconstruct the face of the individual through facial reconstruction.

Meanwhile, the current excavation confirmed twenty-four tombs and twelve sets of skeletal remains dating from the 5th to 6th centuries, including the tall skeletal remains. An official explained, "Except for the skeletal remains approximately 180 cm tall, the preservation condition of the other remains was poor."

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