Hamchang Obongsan Mountain Tumuli

Hamchang is said to have long been the capital of the ancient kingdom of Goryeong Gaya, and although it now belongs to Sangju, it remains an old town with its own distinct cultural background. The Sinheung-ri tumuli, also known as the Obongsan Mountain tumuli, appear to have been built after Hamchang was organised as Godongnam-gun, a jurisdiction distinct from the power of Sabeol-guk. The tombs are arranged around the valleys locally known as Dallanggol and Ansaengwon-gol. The first group lies along the ridges and slopes of three spurs running down from Obongsan Mountain toward Sinheung-ri, consisting mainly of small stone-lined chamber tombs and medium-sized tombs. The second group occupies the lower slopes and summit of the ridge connecting the areas locally known as Geomeun-dong and Dotjil, where medium and large tombs form a continuous line, including one large tomb over 24m in diameter. Excavations here have unearthed pottery, gilt-bronze objects and horse trappings, now under detailed analysis, and these are generally regarded as relics from the early Three Kingdoms period. The third group lies on the hills behind Sinheung 2-ri, to the south-east of the second group. After the Three Kingdoms period, Namsanseong Fortress, with walls about 1.37km in circumference, was built at an elevation of 238m on the foot of Obongsan Mountain. This fortress and the surrounding tumuli are thought to be closely connected, and in scale this group of tombs rivals the Byeongseongsan tumuli elsewhere in the Sangju region, strongly suggesting that a local power comparable to Sabeol-guk had already taken shape in the Hamchang region from a very early period.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Sangju, Gyeongbuk

Designation

Provincial Monument · 시도기념물