Gyeonggi-do Uncovers Three Joseon Royal Family 'Taesil' at Wondang-ri, Gwangju... Briefing Session on the 10th

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Gyeonggi Province has excavated a royal placenta chamber (taesil) of the Joseon royal family on a mountain in Toechon-myeon, Gwangju-si. A taesil is a place where the placenta and umbilical cord of a royal descendant are sealed and stored after birth.

Gyeonggi Province and the Gyeonggi Cultural Heritage Research Institute announced on the 4th that they will hold an on-site public explanation session for the taesil at 10 a.m. on the 10th at San 30, Wondang-ri, Toechon-myeon, Gwangju-si. This is the first time in the country that three taesils have been excavated side by side.

The antae culture, which involves selecting a good site and enshrining the placenta after the birth of a royal baby, was not systematically managed during the Japanese colonial period and industrialization, resulting in many disappearing.

In response, since 2019, the province has conducted a status survey based on investigations by the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and old documents. They identified 30 presumed taesil sites in the province and began full-scale excavation work in the first half of this year at Wondang-ri, where there is a high possibility of the presence of a placenta jar (taeham).

Based on the discovery of two baby memorial stones (antaebi) lying on the slope of Taebong (the mountain peak where the taesil is located), the province initially estimated there would be two taesils, but confirmed that three taesils were constructed side by side.

This is the first case among 320 taesil sites nationwide (including unexcavated sites).

Among the three taesils, one is presumed to belong to a princess of King Seongjong of Joseon (1457?1494) according to historical records. Additionally, two locations where the baby memorial stones were erected were identified, providing grounds to restore the original form of the taesil by standing the fallen stones on the mountain slope.

Based on this excavation achievement, the province plans to continue excavation work at other presumed taesil sites.

The province will conduct this on-site explanation session with about 30 pre-registered participants to prevent safety accidents and the spread of COVID-19.

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