Oh Dong-sun
Researcher, Buyeo National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage
The Research on Royal Tombs in the Baekje Cultural Area focuses on the Tomb of King Muryeong and Buyeo Royal Tombs in Gongju (formerly Ancient Tombs in Songsan-ri, Gongju) and Buyeo Royal Tombs (formerly the Buyeo Neungsan-ri Ancient Tombs). The project is composed of sub-topics aimed at exploring the structure and management system of Baekje’s late-period royal tombs, their surrounding societal systems, and developing restoration and maintenance plans.
Baekje royal tombs were originally clustered in designated locations from the Hanseong period, and this tradition continued and evolved through the Sabi period. By the Sabi era, the location and layout of the royal tombs had come to follow a well-organized and systematic pattern.
Understanding the burial culture of the highest social class—the royal family—is crucial to interpreting the social structure of the time. This is because elite classes exclusively enjoyed high culture and advanced technologies, while lower classes imitated or were subject to the influence of these practices, thus shaping the broader funerary culture of the period. However, research on late Baekje royal tombs faces significant limitations.
Most of the tombs were already looted before being excavated during the Japanese colonial period, and large-scale restoration projects were carried out in the 1970s. While the colonial-era excavations left behind records of their time, they are insufficient for in-depth academic research.
Moreover, the restoration in the 1970s significantly altered the original scale and landscape of the tombs, distancing them from their authentic appearance 1,500 years earlier.
Despite these conditions, the late Baekje royal tombs were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2015. In 2019, they were designated as a top-priority target for further investigation, with the aim of recovering their original form and improving research accessibility (Cultural Heritage
Administration, 2019 Master Plan for Excavation of Core Sites in the Baekje Historic Areas).
Accordingly, excavation work on Tombs No. 3 (Seohachong) and No. 4 (Jungsangchong) at Buyeo Royal Tombs has been underway since 2021.
The investigation revealed that the central tomb group, although now flattened, was originally situated across two ridges. Tombs 3 and 4 were located on the western ridge. It was also discovered that the current north-south alignment of the mounds was artificially created during the restoration process. The study successfully obtained high-quality data on the original location of the tombs and the precise structure and dimensions of the stone chambers, both internally and externally.
● View of Tombs No. 3 and No. 4 at Buyeo Royal Tombs after Temporary Backfilling
● Ongoing Excavation of Tombs No. 1–3 at the Tomb of King Muryeong and
Royal Tombs in Gongju
Having established baseline data for restoring the landscape of Buyeo Royal Tombs, research is now underway to reconstruct the landscape based on the original topography. In coordination with Buyeo County, a research service was commissioned. Based on its outcomes, a restoration plan will be presented and a public consensus formed, after which a final decision will be made by the Cultural Heritage Committee. The Tomb of King Muryeong and Royal Tombs in Gongju are undergoing a similar process.
By 2026, a comprehensive restoration plan will be formulated based on the scientific analysis of the landscape of Baekje’s late royal tombs. In parallel, in-depth studies onExcavations are currently in progress for Tombs No. 1 to No. 4. Although these tombs were previously investigated during the Japanese colonial period, recent studies have unearthed numerous artifacts—including decorative earrings, rings, glass beads, various gold ornaments, and ornamental coffin nails—from the gravel flooring within the tomb chambers. Given the structural vulnerabilities of the stone chambers, a parallel research project is being carried out to develop stabilization measures. Based on the results, the direction for restoration of the stone chambers will be determined.
Other ongoing efforts include osteological research comparing the physical characteristics of Baekje elites and commoners, a joint special exhibition and international academic conference in collaboration with the Seoul Hanseong Baekje Museum, the establishment of a historical place name database for the Chungcheongnam-do region using a Geographic Information System (GIS), and field studies in Japan and China aimed at comparing the structure, layout, and operational principles of late Baekje royal tombs.
By 2026, a comprehensive restoration plan will be formulated based on the scientific analysis of the landscape of Baekje’s late royal tombs. In parallel, in-depth studies on these tombs will also be carried out.
