Yeoju Maeryong-ri Tumuli

Yeoju Maeryong-ri Tumuli is a large tomb complex built in the Yeoju area, which was incorporated into Silla territory as Silla advanced into the Hangang River basin from the mid-6th century onward. The tombs are distributed along a ridge at an elevation of around 80m that runs from the northern ridgeline of Hwanghaksan Mountain (elevation 175.3m), about 3km southeast of Yeoju, through Maeryong-ri to Sang-dong on the banks of the Namhan River, as well as along a branch ridge extending eastward. Depending on the terrain and the density of burials, more than 200 tombs in total are distributed across five areas, though they originally formed a single large tomb complex. According to excavation surveys, the stone chambers and stone-lined pits are rectangular in plan, with all four walls built of broken stone. The passage leading into the burial chamber lies at the lower end of the slope, its outer end sealed with broken stone. The floor of most tombs was lined with small broken stones on which the body was laid, and the chambers with a side entrance are distinctive for their raised burial platform; some tombs also contain stone pillows. Most of the tombs with a side entrance or side opening show traces of additional burials. Small quantities of Silla or Unified Silla pottery were excavated from most of the tombs, dating broadly from the late 6th century to the mid-to-late 7th century, showing that the complex was built up over a long period. This is the largest Silla tomb complex in central Korea and is regarded as a landmark source for studying Silla's advance into the Hangang River basin and its methods of governing the territory it occupied.

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Where it is

Region

Yeoju, Gyeonggi

Designation

Provincial Monument · 시도기념물