Among the objects excavated from a number of Silla royal burials were foreign-made luxury goods, notably more than thirty Roman-style glass vessels. Found in tombs dating to the fifth and sixth centuries, they attest to the continuing importance of Mediterranean glass in international trade at that time. Other pieces, such as an extraordinary sheath and dagger and an intriguing, miniscule silver bowl, have few, if any, parallels elsewhere. Ceramics from China dating to the seventh through the ninth century, including porcelain, celadon, and tricolor earthenware, were also coveted.
From the mid-sixth century, Silla burials transformed from the large, impenetrable mounds of earlier times to smaller stone tombs with doorways. The Chinese practices of lining the path leading to the burial chamber with large stone sculptures and placing smaller clay figures inside it were adapted in the seventh and eighth centuries. Some of these figures represent foreigners, primarily individuals from Central or West Asia. Their depictions in Silla art may illustrate their presence on the Korean peninsula. Certainly, they would have been known to the many Koreans who visited and worked in China at that time.
Dagger and sheath, Black Sea area–Central Asia, 5th century. Excavated from Gyerim-ro Tomb no. 14. Gold inlaid with garnet and glass; L. 14 1/8 in. (36 cm). Gyeongju National Museum, Korea. Treasure 635
This astonishing sheath, which most likely reached Korea overland as either a diplomatic gift or a trade item, is another example of the preservation of otherwise unique objects in Early Silla tombs. Its form can be traced to Central Asia, where comparable dagger sheaths have been found in wall paintings and as a fragmented piece. Its vibrant decoration involves inlaying glass and garnet into areas outlined by thin gold strips—a type of cloisonné that originated in the Byzantine Empire and spread to medieval Europe. We can therefore surmise that the Gyerim-ro dagger and sheath were produced in the region between the Black Sea and Central Asia.
Pair of shoe soles, possibly Korea or China, Silla kingdom or Northern Wei dynasty, 5th century. Excavated from Singnichong Tomb. Gilt bronze; L. 13 3/4 in. (35 cm). National Museum of Korea
This pair is the most spectacular of the several pairs of oversize soles, primarily bronze, that have been excavated from Early Silla tombs. Their place of manufacture remains unclear. Details such as the linked-hexagon pattern and some of the animal motifs may connect them to the artistic traditions of the Tuoba Xianbei people, who established the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534) in China. These delicate, nonfunctional footwear seem to have been designed as burial objects. Interestingly, large, elaborate shoes and soles have also been found in nomadic burials in Central Asia.
Zodiac figure of a boar, Korea, Silla Kingdom, 8th century. Attributed to the tomb of Kim Yusin. Agalmatolite; H. 16 1/8 in. (40.8 cm). Gyeongju National Museum, Korea
This relief carving of an animal of the Chinese zodiac was found buried near the grave of Kim Yusin, a famous Silla general. It is believed to have been interred sometime after the original construction of the tomb. Many Silla tombs from the seventh century onward featured carved representations of the twelve zodiac animals around their exteriors. In China, versions in clay with the animals wearing court clothing were placed inside tombs. The boar on display here is depicted wearing armor, a distinctively Korean tradition.
