"Pyosan Burial Mound Group in Hampyeong Masanri Provides Evidence of Exchanges with Baekje, China, and Japan"

Naju Cultural Heritage Institute Announces Excavation Results
Burial Mound Group Formed Around Jang Burial Mound... Reveals Hierarchical Structure

An academic study has revealed that a small state (soguk) based in Hampyeong, South Jeolla Province, among the ancient Mahan polities, maintained close exchanges with Baekje, China, and Japan.

Hampyeong Masanri Pyosan Burial Mounds Jang Burial Mound

The National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and the National Naju Institute of Cultural Heritage announced on July 16, 2025, the results of a five-year excavation of the Hampyeong Masanri Pyosan Burial Mound Group, which began in 2021. According to the findings, the Jang Burial Mound in the Pyosan Burial Mound Group resembles tombs found in the Kyushu region of Japan. The term "Jang Burial Mound" refers to the tomb's resemblance to a janggu, a traditional Korean drum.

Inside the Jang Burial Mound, locally produced pottery, coin-patterned pottery from the Southern Dynasties of China, and Baekje-style artifacts were unearthed. The institute stated, "The Pyosan Burial Mound Group was the cemetery of a powerful group located at a key transportation hub connecting the west coast and the Yeongsan River," adding, "It appears that close relations were maintained not only with Baekje, but also with China and Japan."

The construction sequence began with the Jang Burial Mound, which is believed to have been the tomb of a local elite. The nearby round burial mounds were constructed later, moving outward from the center. All of the mounds are estimated to date to around the 6th century. The institute explained, "The burial mound group was formed around the Jang Burial Mound," and suggested, "Society at the time appears to have had a strict hierarchical structure centered on the elite."

Hampyeong Masanri Pyosan Burial Mound Group Jang Burial Mound Stone Chamber and Surrounding Soil Layers

The Pyosan Burial Mound Group is also a representative example of the Mahan-style tumulus, featuring a ditch around the mound and a stone chamber built above ground. The institute reported, "Advanced construction techniques were used, taking into account long-term preservation and structural stability," and added, "Precise surveying and design were carried out beforehand, and the method of embankment and construction sequence varied according to the division and topography."

The institute plans to hold a briefing session at the excavation site at 11 a.m. on July 17, 2025, to present these findings to the public.

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