Koguryo Tombs with Murals and Historical Relics Unearthed.

Of late, Koguryo tombs with murals and other historical relics were unearthed in Wolji-ri, Anak County, South Hwanghae Province.

In the course of making vigorous efforts to discover historical sites, the Archaeology Institute under the Academy of Social Sciences has newly unearthed and verified two Koguryo tombs with murals and gold artifacts.

The first tomb belongs to a traditional Koguryo-style tomb with a stone chamber and an earth mound with its ceiling boarded with paralleled triangular props.

Discovered on four sides of the wall and the ceiling were the pictures of four guardians, patterns of lotus flower and leaves, cloud, pipal tree and tortoise shells, and some parts of pictures of a new constellation which could not be seen in other Koguryo tombs with murals unearthed up to now.

The second tomb, too, has the style of a tomb with a stone chamber and an earth mound in the period of Koguryo. Unearthed in the tomb were a picture of depicting the sun and many other pieces of murals.

An elaborately-processed earring, petal-shaped ornaments and other 9 pieces made of gold were also found in the two tombs.

The constellations and fantastic pictures drawn on the murals of the newly-unearthed tombs and a gold earring and other historical relics showcase the level of development of astronomy of Koreans in those days and their view on religious beliefs and the developed level of metalwork.

The Archaeology Society of the DPRK verified that the tombs were built in the first half of the 6th century, and deliberated and assessed that they are of great significance in the archaeological studies.