Baekje-era gilt bronze shoes unearthed in Naju 백제근동신발

• Report rights infringement
• published: 28 Oct 2014
• views: 83

A rare discovery has been found in the southern part of Korea and our Yim Yoonhee is here to give us a look at just what has got researchers mesmerized. Good afternoon, Yoonhee. Good afternoon, Ji-hye. That′s right. Another historical artifact has been recovered,... and while most shoes are meant for walking,... these shoes probably served as more of a decoration. Take a look. A 1,500-year-old tomb has been unearthed... in Korea′s southern city of Naju, South Jeollanam-do province. The excavation site, located in a region formerly known as Mahan,... has so far produced a treasure trove of goods, including rare gold jewelry and jade, pottery and tools. But one item in particular has blown researchers away. It′s a pair of gilt bronze shoes dating back to the Baekje Kingdom,... and they were recovered in almost perfect condition. The intricate design and condition of the relic makes this discovery one of the first of its kind,... shedding light on the history of Korea. [KOREAN] "The dragon′s teeth, ears and horns are extremely detailed. They were able to reinterpret the design and add a touch of the Baekje Kingdom, which is not done easily." The shoes 32 centimeters in length, 9.5 centimeters in width and 9 centimeters in height display excellent craftsmanship and artistic qualities,... as was characteristic of Baekje-era artisans. The dragon image is paired with the image of a lotus blossom,... in delicate gilt bronze work,... showing a close relationship between the ancient kingdoms. [KOREAN] "I believe the cultural elements of the four nations of Gaya, "ancient" Japan, Baekje and the Silla Dynasty come together here." Over a century later, the tomb is now a huge source of insight about the past,.. encapsulating a precious piece of history. What is the purpose of these shoes? I can′t imagine they were worn very often. It′s believed that these shoes were given by the Baekje Kingdom to the local lord in hopes of creating good relations... at a time when the Baekje Kingdom was trying to expand its territory. And as it was customary in the old days for high ranking individuals to be buried with their possessions, these gilt bronze shoes were preserved for us to discover. Tell us more about the excavation. Last year, a few stone line tombs were identified, and from there many works of pottery and jewelry pieces were recovered. And now this year, the current excavation has produced the gilt bronze shoes, gold earrings, plates, ornaments and other precious relics. This is the fifth time that a pair of gilt bronze shoes has been found since 1996, when the first pair was discovered. So far, over 1,000 artifacts have been discovered near the Yongsan River, which is where this excavation site is located. Thank you for that report. Always a pleasure