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| yna@yna.co.kr 2022-06-29 17:47:02
SEOUL, June 29 (Yonhap) –-Dragon-headed ornamental roof tiles, which are believed to have been related to the royal buildings early in the Joseon Dynasty, "Chuidu (Large ornamental roof tiles to be installed at the both ends of the ridge of the roof on the royal buildings such as the palace)" and "Geompa (Hilt shaped clay-made ornament stabbed on the top of the Chuidu)" have additionally discovered in the tidal flats of Taean, South Chungcheong province.
The National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage of the Cultural Heritage Administration announced on Wednesday that it excavated one piece of the upper part of "Chuidu" and one piece of "Geompa" in the tidal flats of Cheongpodae in Taean on May.
Last year, the research institute also excavated 1 piece each for the upper and lower parts of "Chuidu."
Prior to this, in 2019, a resident who was digging for some shells discovered and reported the lower part of the "Chuidu" along with a statuette of general placed on the roof. The lower part of Chuidu was confirmed to be paired with the upper part of the Chuidu that was excavated this year.
The National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage of the Cultural Heritage Administration believes that the statuette of general is of the early Joseon Dynasty style, and is also highly likely that all the relics were of the same period as they were discovered from the surrounding areas of "Chuidu" and "Geompa." Additionally, in the early Joseon Dynasty, as it was speculated that the dragon pattern was a symbol only used by the royal family, it is thought to have been made for buildings related to the royal family.
In the Joseon Dynasty, various decorative tiles were used for the roofs of palace buildings, including Chuidu and Jabsangs (little decoration figurines on the edge of the roof). The chuidu was made by separating it into two or three parts, and then had it fixed on the roof with iron nails. Jabsang, which was used to decorate the chunyeomaru (a part of the roof), usually had the statuette of general was usually placed at the front.
The National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage of the Cultural Heritage Administration paid special attention to the hilt-shaped geompa with a length of 40.5cm, width of 16cm and a thickness of 7cm. It is presumed that the "geompa" was inserted into the "chuidu" that was recovered last year.
The cloud patterns in two rows are expressed at front and back, and has a short hold to be fit to the square hole on the top of the Chuidu.
"The Geompa was used to block the rainfall flowing into the Chuidu, and it is delivered that the biting of the dragon engraved on the Chuidu has the meaning of blocking the gnawing the ridge of the roof," said Kim Dong-hoon, curator of the National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage of the Cultural Heritage Administration.
"The cloud patterned Geompa excavated is different in its shape from the pattern-less simple rod type Geompa found from some dragon-headed roof tiles on the roofs of the palaces of the latter half of the Joseon Dynasty," he added.
The total height of the Chuidu is 103 cm, and has a width of 83-85 cm, with a thickness of 22 cm.
The investigation team emphasized, "With the discovery of the Geompa, we are now able to know the whole shape of the Chuidu from the early Joseon Dynasty. Additionally, it is also very valuable in respect of acquiring the material data for the studies on the ornamental roof tiles related to the royal families of Joseon Dynasty."
“It will also be used to infer the appearance of buildings related to the royal family in the early Joseon Dynasty, such as the buildings during the construction period of Gyeongbokgung Palace, Sungnyemun Gate, and Hoeamsa Temple Site in Yangju,” he said.
"These are also evaluated as unique archeological data for historical evidencing on the details of the royal buildings of the early Joseon Dynasty such as the building written at the records on establishing Gyeongbokgung Palace, Sungryemun Gate, Yangju Hoeamsa Temple Site (the largest and representative royal Buddhist temple in Korea from the late Goryeo to the mid-Joseon Dynasty) and many more," he added.
However, the investigation team said that the exact reason why Chuidu and other relics were buried in the Taean tidal flat is still unknown.
"It seems that a ship carrying tiles made in Yongsan, Seoul, sank while heading to the south of the Korean Peninsula," Researcher Kim said. "The royal roof tiles may have been used in places such as Haenggung (special palaces for when the king travels) or Gyeonggijeon in Jeonju, where the portrait of King Taejo is enshrined."
"We plan to examine the related artifacts till the mid of August through additional excavating and underwater investigation," said The National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage of the Cultural Heritage Administration. "We will also promote research on the production and distribution of royal decorations."
(This article is translated from Korean to English by Haemin Kim.)
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