Crowns of Silla
These crowns were excavated in Gyeongju, the former capital of Silla, and are designated National treasures of South Korea.
Silla tumuli, unlike their Baekje and Goguryeo counterparts were made inaccessible because the tombs did not include passageways and corridors.
The heavy boulders also served to push the tombs deeper into the ground [citation needed], thus making them even more inaccessible.
The Silla burial mechanism made it so that grave robbers and foreign invaders could never steal their precious contents.
Other crowns have been discovered made from gilt-bronze or gold-plated bronze, probably for princes or lesser kings.
As a result, Silla has developed a culture of ambition and delicate style, and after unification, it shows a more splendid and refined aspect.
[1] The styling of the outer part of the crowns suggests a Korean connection with the Scytho-Iranians (Saka) through contact with people of the Eurasian steppe.
Additionally, the antler-like prongs also indicate a strong connection to Korean Shamanism or the importance of the reindeer.
Some have even theorized that these advanced goldworking techniques, such as granulation and filigree, came from the Greek or the Etruscan people, especially because Silla tumuli also contain beads and glassware which came from as far away as the Mediterranean Sea.
[4] Iron objects were introduced to the Korean peninsula through trade with chiefdoms and state-level societies in the Yellow Sea area in the 4th century BC, just at the end of the Warring States Period but before the Western Han dynasty began.
South Korea has officially designated some Silla crowns as national treasures (Korean: 국보; Hanja: 國寶; RR: gukbo), others as treasures (Korean: 보물; Hanja: 寶物; RR: bomul).
The Chinese character 出 chul is written three times on the head band [citation needed].
All of the protrusions have jade and glass beads and tiny golden mirrors that dangle from the branches.
The inner crown is a triangle-shaped hat made of thin sheet gold and has two wing-like decorations on it.
This crown also has two dangling chains of gold in the shape of leaves hanging from the end of the headband.
The tree-like prongs, shaped like the Chinese character 出 chul, which means “going out”, are placed on the front and sides of the headband.
On the upper and lower part of the surface are two-lined spot patterns made with a stamping technique.
The Gold crown from Seobongchong Tumulus (Korean: 서봉총 금관; Hanja: 瑞鳳塚金冠; RR: Seobongchong geumgwan; MR: Sŏbongch'ong kŭmgwan) is a gold crown of Silla origin that is now housed at the Gyeongju National Museum.
Two crossing gold belts having the tip on the each 4 dividing points of the crown frame, construct the inside framework.
