Clues to Baekje Funeral Culture Discovered at Buyeo Royal Tomb Complex

Two Burial Facilities Found on Both Sides of the Entrance Floor of Tomb No. 4
Pottery Uprightly Placed and Flat Stone Slabs Covered Like a Lid

Two pieces of pottery that provide insight into Baekje funeral culture were discovered at the Buyeo Royal Tombs.

The National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage’s Buyeo Cultural Heritage Research Institute announced on the 23rd that two inlaid facilities were found on both sides of the floor at the entrance of Tomb No. 4 in the Buyeo Royal Tombs, where excavation has been underway since September last year. The inlaid facilities were confirmed to be pottery stood upright with flat stone slabs covering them like lids. This is the first time a facility where stones cover pottery has been found in the Baekje ancient tomb passageway (the path from the tomb entrance to the chamber where the body is placed). A research institute official said, "After constructing the passageway, the floor was dug again to inlay the pottery," adding, "This is an important clue for reconstructing the ritual process at that time." He further explained, "To identify the contents inside the pottery, we are conducting organic material analysis together with the Conservation Science Laboratory of the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage."

The Buyeo Royal Tombs are divided into six tombs identified during the Japanese colonial period and one tomb found during repair and maintenance work in 1966. At the time of discovery, the investigation details were sparse, and there was a lack of photographic and drawing materials, making it difficult to understand Baekje funeral culture. In particular, no drawings remain for Tomb No. 4, and differences in the size and location of the burial mound were confirmed, making re-investigation urgent. The research institute confirmed a stone chamber tomb consisting of a burial chamber (the room where the body is placed), a passageway (the path from the tomb entrance to the burial chamber), and a tomb passageway through excavation.

The research institute plans to begin excavation of Tomb No. 3 next month. Differences in the size and location of the maintained burial mound, similar to Tomb No. 4, have been confirmed, so the focus will be on establishing proper maintenance and restoration plans. A research institute official said, "We expect important results in understanding the tomb’s location and construction sequence," adding, "We will produce and share videos of the investigation process to quickly disclose related findings."

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