calendar>>June 28. 2016 Juche 105
Royal Tombs Unearthed in DPRK
Pyongyang, June 28 (KCNA) -- Two royal tombs dating back to the Koryo Kingdom (918-1392) were recently unearthed in the area of Kaesong City, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

According to Dr. Ri Chang Jin of the Archaeological Institute of the Academy of Social Sciences, the tombs stand apart 250 meters from each other in the east and west of the southern slope of Mae Peak, 4 kilometers away from the northeast of Haeson-ri seat, Kaesong City.

There is the Mausoleum of King Wang Kon in the seat, he said, and went on:

The tombs were pillaged and got considerably damaged by the Japanese imperialists long ago.

Each tomb area with a granite terrace is divided into three plots.

Tomb No. 1 is covered with five big plate stones. And its chamber with well-trimmed granite walls is 3.7 meters from north to south, 3 meters from east to west and 1.65 to 1.73 meters high.

Tomb No. 2 has also well-trimmed granite walls and is covered with 13 plate stones beamed by two great stones. Its chamber is 3.56 meters from north to south, 3.38 meters from east to west and 2.2 meters high.

Remains unearthed in the chambers include gilt-bronze arrowhead, gilt-bronze plaque, silver ornaments and fragments of Koryo celadon.

Seen in the second plots of the tomb Nos. 1 and 2 are four stone sculptures representing civil officials, two on each side, and two stone sculptures of the same kind, one on each side, respectively.

The third plots are considered to be assigned for places for memorial service.

Those tombs have the same exterior architectural style as mausoleums of Koryo Kingdom like the Mausoleum of King Wang Kon, the founder of Koryo Kingdom.

On the basis of archeological data and old document "History of Koryo Dynasty", it was confirmed that the tomb Nos. 1 and 2 are mausoleums of the 9th and 10th kings of Koryo Kingdom.

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