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Ancient Korean & Japanese Relations
Ancient East Asia was dominated by the three states known today as China, Japan, and Korea. These kingdoms traded raw materials and high-quality manufactured goods, exchanged cultural ideas and practices, and fought each other in equal measure...
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Goguryeo Roof Tile
The end face of a Goguryeo roof tile, 5th-6th century CE. (National Museum of Korea, Seoul, South Korea)
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Kim Yu-sin
Kim Yu-sin (aka Kim Yushin, 595-673 CE) was a general of the Silla kingdom which ruled south-eastern Korea during the Three Kingdoms Period. Kim would greatly help Silla unify Korea, famously leading a massive army to crush the rival kingdom...
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Ancient Korean Coinage
The coinage of ancient Korea (pre-13th century CE) first employed Chinese coins, known locally as the oshuchon. Korean rulers began minting their own metal coins from the late 10th century CE, first in copper and iron, and later in bronze...
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Unified Silla Kingdom
The Unified Silla Kingdom (668- 935 CE) was the first dynasty to rule over the whole of the Korean peninsula. After centuries of battles with the other states of the Three Kingdoms Period (57 BCE - 668 CE) Silla benefitted from the help of...
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The Gold Crowns of Silla
The Silla Kingdom ruled south-eastern Korea during the Three Kingdoms period (1st century BCE - 7th century CE) and then, as the Unified Silla Kingdom, all of Korea from 668 to 935 CE. The Silla produced fine pieces of art, but their most...
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Gilt-bronze Buddha, Goguryeo Kingdom
A gilt-bronze standing Buddha. Cast in Pyongyang, Goguryeo Kingdom, 6th century CE. Height c. 15 cm. (National Museum of Korea, Seoul, South Korea)
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Tortoise & Snake Mural, Goguryeo Tomb
A wall-painting depicting a tortoise and snake (symbolising North) from the Great Tomb at Kangso near Pyongyang. Goguryeo kingdom, early 7th century CE.
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Goguryeo Mound Tomb, Kangso
A burial mound tomb at Kangso of the ancient Goguryeo kingdom which ruled northern Korea between the 1st century BCE and 7th century CE.
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Bone Rank System
The Bone Rank System (Golpum or Kolpum) of ancient Korea was used in the Silla kingdom (57 BCE – 935 CE) in order to signal a person's political rank and social status. Membership of a particular rank within the system was extremely...