Outcomes of the Excavations of the Pyosan Ancient Tombs in Masan-ri, Hampyeong-gun
The village of Pyosan in Masan-ri, Hampyeong-gun, takes its name from the nearby gourd-shaped mountain. The summit of this mountain behind the village is crowded with ancient tombs of different sizes, including janggubun (janggu-shaped tombs). Janggu refers to a traditional double-headed hourglass-shaped drum. Janggubun is sometimes referred to as jeonbanghuwonbun (tomb with a trapezoidal front part and circular back
part) because its shape similar to Japan’s zenpokoenfun. A total of 15 janggu-shaped tombs have been discovered in the Yeongsangang River basin area, garnering much attention due to their resemblance to the architectural style of the Japanese ancient tombs and stirring up related controversy and academic debate. The Pyosan Ancient Tombs site,
in particular, stands apart from other tomb groups, as it is the only location that includes janggu-shaped tombs. It is evaluated to be a key historic site that provides clues to the international political landscape back then (external exchanges in the Yeongsangang River basin area, Baekje-Mahan relations, etc.). Since 2021, Naju National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage has been working on the restoration of this site to its original form and conducting consecutive investigations to obtain basic data for conservation and research.
Rites Presumed to Have Been Performed at the Site
The janggu-shaped tombs of the Pyosan Ancient Tombs
site consist of both a circular mound and trapezoidal mound
surrounded with a shield-shaped ditch. The ditch ends at its
intersection with the southern edge of the trapezoidal mound,
and the path leading up to the mound starts at this point. It
is presumed that people must have walked up to the mound
and performed memorial rites for each tomb’s owner. After
performing the rites with valuable foods, they broke and
scattered the used vessels to flaunt the deceased’s wealth
and social status. The discarded vessel fragments rolled down
the mound to be buried deep in the ditch bed. This is how
fragments of China-made coin-patterned pots, plates on
pedestals, and plates with lids came to be discovered at the ditch sites. The circular mound behind the central line of the
janggu-shaped tomb was presumably used to bury the tomb
owner’s family members or retainers, with earthenware vessels
buried together. It is presumed that the mounds must have
been completed after placing the bodies and performing the
funerary rites.
Janggu-Shaped Tombs Attesting to Active International Exchanges in the Yeongsangang River Basin
Dynamic International Exchanges Indicated by the
Pyosan Ancient Tombs
The Pyosan Ancient Tombs site testifies to the dynamic
international exchanges in the Yeongsangang River basin in
ancient times. The architectural style of janggubun had been
adopted from Japan. The inside chamber displays many
elements also witnessed in the northern part of Kyushu. Of
particular note is that, although the janggu-shaped tombs are
reminiscent of the Japanese architectural style, no Japanese
style artifacts such as haniwa (earthenware funerary objects) or
sue pottery (blue-gray stoneware pottery) have been excavated.
Instead, most excavated artifacts have been identified as dating
back to the Baekje era, as evidenced by the fragments presumed
to have been cut loose from Baekje silver accessories and to
be similar to the gold accessories excavated from the Tomb of
King Muryeong. Most of the excavated earthenware vessels,
seemingly left behind after performing rites, were found to be
designed in the styles of Baekje and Mahan. The coin-patterned
porcelain pot is presumed to have been produced in and
imported from the kingdom of Nanzhao established during the
Tang Dynasty based on similar artifacts discovered in Nanjing. As explained here, the janggu-shaped tombs of the Pyosan Ancient
Tombs serve as proof of the dynamic international exchanges of
the ancient Yeongsangang River basin through their combination
of artifacts spanning Baekje, Mahan, and Nanzhao in addition to
their Japanese architectural style.
Naju National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage aims
to restore the site to its original form through continued
conservation and research activities and accumulate basic data
for restoration and maintenance. At the same time, we expect
to be able to create an academic database to uncover the
complex political situation involving Mahan, Baekje, Japan, China,
etc., from the Ungjin period to the Sabi period
01 View of the Pyosan Ancient Tombs in Masan-ri,Hampyeong-gun, from a distance
02 Investigation being conducted on site
03 Entrance to the janggu-shaped tomb
04 Diagram of the chamber inside the janggu-shaped tomb
05 Entrance to the chamber inside the janggu-shaped tomb
06 Major artifacts excavated from the Pyosan Ancient Tombs