Changnyeong Gyodong and Songhyeondong Burial Mounds... Confirmed for UNESCO World Heritage Listing

The Value of Gayagobun-gun Recognized Globally

The ‘Changnyeong Gyodong and Songhyeon-dong Tumuli’ were officially inscribed as a World Heritage Site at the 45th World Heritage Committee held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on the afternoon of the 17th.

According to Changnyeong-gun, Gyeongnam Province, on the 19th, the final decision to inscribe the ‘Gaya Tumuli,’ including the ‘Changnyeong Gyodong and Songhyeon-dong Tumuli,’ as a UNESCO World Heritage Site marks the 16th World Heritage Site in South Korea, the 4th in Gyeongnam, and the first in Changnyeong. The official inscription will take place on the closing day, the 25th.

Changnyeong Gyodong and Songhyeondong Burial Mounds Inscribed as World Heritage Sites.
[Image provided by Changnyeong-gun]

The Gaya Tumuli are a serial heritage site consisting of seven tumulus clusters of ‘Gaya,’ which existed in the southern Korean Peninsula from the 1st to the 6th century. Among them, the Changnyeong Gyodong and Songhyeon-dong Tumuli represent Bihwa Gaya, which formed the Gaya Confederacy in the 5th to 6th centuries. Through their burial styles and grave goods, they vividly demonstrate the political entity of Gaya, which engaged in autonomous negotiations with Silla.

A total of 115 burial mounds are distributed, and depending on the construction period, 5th-century tombs are located along the ridges of hills, while 6th-century tombs are situated on the eastern slopes of the hills. Large and small burial mounds cluster together, and around the large 7th mound, medium and small-sized mounds surround it like satellites, illustrating the hierarchical stratification of the ruling class during the Gaya period through the arrangement of the tombs.

At Songhyeon-dong Tomb No. 15, in addition to the main occupant, four sets of human bones were confirmed, verifying the Gaya practice of human sacrifice. For the first time in Korea, the ‘Gaya People Restoration Project’ was attempted, successfully reconstructing ‘Songhyeoni,’ a 16-year-old sacrificial girl.

Additionally, the unique Gaya-style stone chamber tombs exclusive to Changnyeong feature a narrow and elongated burial chamber with one wall serving as the entrance. The entrance functioned as a passage for moving the coffin during the funeral of the main occupant, best exemplified in Gyodong Tomb No. 3.

Artifacts excavated from the Changnyeong Gyodong and Songhyeon-dong Tumuli, such as Changnyeong-style pottery, gold ornaments, a 出-shaped gilt-bronze crown, and camphor wood crowns, reflect the international character of Bihwa Gaya, which actively exchanged with neighboring states.

Gyodong and Songhyeon-dong Tumuli.
[Image provided by Changnyeong-gun]

The World Heritage Committee evaluated the Gaya Tumuli as unique evidence demonstrating the Gaya civilization, which maintained a distinctive political system as a confederacy coexisting with surrounding centralized ancient states. It recognized the site’s ‘Outstanding Universal Value’ as an important heritage illustrating one type of ancient East Asian civilization.

To support the inscription of the Changnyeong Gyodong and Songhyeon-dong Tumuli as a World Heritage Site, local residents actively participated in activities such as tumulus walking campaigns, tumulus music concerts, voluntary promotional efforts, Gaya Tumuli guardian activities, and plogging for environmental cleanup.

Seong Nakin, the mayor of Changnyeong-gun, said, “First, I thank the residents who have carefully preserved the Gyodong and Songhyeon-dong Tumuli, enabling their inscription as a World Heritage Site. We promise continuous preservation efforts befitting a world-class cultural heritage and will strive to promote the excellence of our heritage to the public through various projects utilizing the tumuli.”

With the UNESCO World Heritage inscription of the Changnyeong Gyodong and Songhyeon-dong Tumuli as a milestone, it is expected that the excellent resources such as Upo Wetland, Hwawangsan Mountain, and Bugok Hot Springs will be linked and utilized to enhance the brand value and recognition of tourism in Changnyeong, advancing the city as a hub of culture, ecology, and tourism.

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