Haman Maliyasan Tumuli Cluster, Excavation Site Open House Held

Eight pit graves from the Samhan period and ten wooden coffin tombs from the Three Kingdoms period confirmed

Silver belt ornament presumed to be made during the Baekje Sabi period excavated

Haman-gun, Gyeongnam Province announced that it will hold an on-site public viewing of the "Excavation Survey at 425 Dohang-ri, Malyisan Tumuli Cluster, Haman" from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM on the 8th.

Exposure of wooden coffin tomb relics at the excavation site of the Haman Maliyasan Tumuli Cluster.
[Image provided by Haman-gun]

As part of the 2022 Cultural Heritage Administration’s national designated cultural heritage restoration and maintenance project, the county planned a project to improve the northern access road to the Malyisan Tumuli Cluster. Additionally, the Gyeongnam Research Institute (Director Song Buyong) History and Culture Center was commissioned to conduct a trial excavation of the project site, confirming numerous relics including wooden coffins from the Samhan period, pit coffins from the Three Kingdoms period, stone-lined pit coffins, and stone chamber tombs.

Subsequently, the site was converted to a full excavation survey in 2023, and as a result of investigations conducted since May this year, eight wooden coffins from the Samhan period, ten pit coffins from the Three Kingdoms period, two stone-lined pit coffins, and one stone chamber tomb were identified.

From the wooden coffins, various pottery types such as pouch-shaped pots and combined horn-shaped rim jars were excavated along with diverse iron artifacts including iron chains, iron arrowheads, iron axes, iron swords, and iron sickles. Notably, in the No. 3 wooden coffin, a large quantity of jewelry made by stringing glass beads was discovered, securing important materials for studying the clothing styles of the time.

Exposure view of relics in the stone chamber tomb. _ Excavation survey of the Malisan Tumuli Cluster in Haman. [Image provided by Haman County]

The pit coffins were found in various sizes ranging from small to large. Among them, the No. 7 large pit coffin, which had not been looted, revealed traces suspected to be of a retainer burial (sunjang, 殉葬) for the first time in the pit coffin phase within the Malyisan Tumuli Cluster, according to the excavation team.

The team cited the following reasons for presuming retainer burial: ▲the position of the retainer is arranged along one narrow wall similarly to the stone-lined pit coffin phase, ▲only one or two footed plates were buried in small quantities, and ▲the scattered arrangement of supporting stones, unlike the main occupant’s burial space, was notable.

In the stone chamber tomb, a silver belt ornament from the Baekje Sabi period was excavated, drawing attention. Although similar items were found in the 7th-century Namchi-ri tombs in Namhae after the fall of Gaya, this is the first time a Baekje Sabi period belt ornament has been confirmed in the Gaya central area, providing valuable data for studying the relationship between Baekje and Arakaya in the mid-6th century.

A county official stated, “We will carry out the design and construction of the Malyisan Tumuli Cluster access road reflecting the excavation results to create a tumuli landscape befitting a World Heritage site.”