Kingdom of Gold
Silla Dynasty
Korean kingdom of Silla (57 B.C.–A.D. 935) was renowned as a country of gold. The Golden Kingdom presented remarkable artistic achievements of a small kingdom that rose to prominence, embraced cosmopolitanism, and eventually gained control over much of the Korean peninsula.
The golden granule technique originated with the ancient Greeks and spread to Korea via Central Asia. Although used in other countries, the work of Silla artisans has a unique quality that is not found elsewhere.
Gold and jade crown
Before the spread of Buddhism, shamanism was widely practiced in the Silla dynasty. Shamanistic practices were standard in ceremonial rites such as coronations and memorial services. The Silla novelty wore the gold crowns in sacred rituals to emphasize the wearer's power through precious materials and natural imagery.
The crowns are uniquely Korean products and show no Chinese influence. The Silla crown is also notably distinct from the crown of Baekje, the crown of Gaya, and the crown of Goguryeo kingdoms. A total of five different golden crowns of Silla exists today. A common motif in the crowns is the three tree-shaped vertical elements widely believed to represent the sacred tree of shamanism. This holy tree was conceived as a "world tree" connecting heaven and earth. However, because the three prongs also form the Chinese character 山 "mountain," it is also believed to illustrate mountains. Two additional antler-shaped protrusions may refer to the reindeer native to the Eurasian steppe to the peninsula's north.
Attached to the branch-like features of the crown are tiny gold discs and jade ornaments called gogok. These jade ornaments symbolize ripe fruits hanging from tree branches, representing fertility and abundance.
Silla royalty adopted the burial customs of the Chinese by burying their elite in mounded tombs. The elites used power objects like the Silla gold crowns both above ground and below, and their luxurious materials conveyed the social status of the tomb occupant in the afterlife.
The sophisticated metalworking of the crowns shows that Silla goldsmiths had advanced knowledge of working with gold. The gold working techniques, such as granulation and filigree, may have come from the Greek or the Etruscan people, especially because Silla tumuli also contain beads and glassware from as far away as the Mediterranean Sea. However, the sophistication of the techniques is uniquely Korean.
Golden Earrings of
Silla
Silla Kingdom, early 6th century
Along with the famous Golden Crown, the tombs of Silla contained many other, less immediately eye-catching objects of beauty. An example is the golden earrings buried with the dead kings and queens in Kyongju, the capital of the Silla kingdom. Men, as well as women, wore earrings. Women wore thick earrings, while men wore thin earrings. This piece is an example of a thick earring worn by elite women.
The hexagon-shaped pattern on the upper ring represents the back of a turtle, which was a symbol of longevity. The earrings have numerous tiny golden beads and thin gold threads for decoration. Each earring is covered with 5,000 beads, applied to the surface with miraculous precision.
Silla Kingdom, early 6th century
This is another example of an earring of Silla. As it can be seen, this piece has a thin loop, which implies that this earring was for elite men. The men wore earrings as a symbol of youth and ability.
This is a simpler design than the one seen above as men had to move around more than women, who mostly stayed in the household, especially as some elite men had to enter the palace to work.
Cheonmachong:
The Heavenly Horse Painting
Silla Dyanasty, 5th century
Cheonmachong is a tomb for an unknown king of the Silla Kingdom. The tomb's name derives from a famous painting of a white horse depicted on a birch bark saddle flap, also referred to as a mudguard.
The horse, a Cheonma (Korean Pegasus), has eight legs with wings on its feet. This painting is a rare example of an extant Silla painting and indicates a strong influence by the Goguryeo Kingdom.
The burial of horse trappings and the sacrifice of a horse with the king shows the importance of horse culture in Silla society and indicates the leading role of the king in shamanism practiced by the people.
Gaya Federation
The Gaya confederacy was a group of city-states from 42–562 AD that did not consolidate into a centralized kingdom. It shared many similarities in its art, such as crowns with tree-like protrusions which are seen in Baekje and Silla. Many artifacts unearthed in Gaya tumuli are artifacts related to horses, such as stirrups, saddles, and horse armor. Ironware was best plentiful in this period than any age.
Silla later conquered the state, fully becoming asserted into the culture and society.
Gaya Federation, 5th-6th century
Crown of Gaya (Geumgwan mit busok geumgu)
The crown has three distinctive parts. The headband is gold decorated with tiny gold mirrors attached to the band. The band is incised with dotted decorations in a diamond motif running on the top and bottom. Attached to the band are jade gogok or beads.
The appendages of the crown are placed equidistant from each other on the circular headband. Each appendage is identical, with three prongs flowing downward at a right angle topped with a jewel-shaped finial. These appendages resemble a crown of Baekje which also had flowing floral-like patterns instead of the stylistic crowns of Silla.
Finally, the crown came with four floral-shaped ornaments, predicted to be used as diadems. Jade gogok were attached to the gold ornaments and tiny gold disks. These ornaments follow Silla styles and are also incised with dots in a diamond motif, like the headband.