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National Treasure

Footrest of King Muryeong

무령왕 발받침 ( 武寧王 足座 )

Heritage Search Detail
Classification National Treasure
Name of Cultural Properties Footrest of King Muryeong
Quantity 1 Item
Designated Date 1974.07.09
Age Baekje
Address Gongju National Museum, 34, Gwangwangdanji-gil, Gongju, Chungcheongnam-do

This 20cm tall and 38cm long ornamental prop for the feet of the dead king was excavated from the Tomb of King Muryeong of Baekje in Geumseong-dong, Gongju, Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea. A 39cm tall and 21.9cm long ornamental support for the feet of the dead queen was also discovered together with the king's. It is an inverted trapezoid wooden block with a deep W-shape cut in the midsection for the feet of the corpse. The front side is painted in black. Its front and rear sides are decorated with many turtleback patterns depicted in 0.7cm long golden plates, but some of the patterns are broken away. Six-pedaled flowers are placed on the crossing points of the golden plates or in the middle of each golden plate. The one belonging to the queen has a 4mm thick golden frame around its edge and the front side is painted in red. It is decorated with lotus blossom and cloud patterns. It has traces of silk that used to be spread on the inside of the W-shaped cut. This tomb was built for King Muryeong, the 25th king of the Baekje Dynasty who reigned from 501 to 522, and also his queen. It’s one of the most well-known royal tombs because it’s one of the rare tombs that were built with bricks, and also a great amount of burial goods - 2906 pieces of remains ranging over 108 categories - were excavated from it. They have been regarded as important sources for studying Baekje, particularly the culture and customs of the ancient kingdom. Among them, jiseok, a slab of stone inscribed with the deceased's date of birth and death together with his achievements, reveals the exact owner of the tomb and the exact date of construction. The Royal Tomb of King Muryeong is the first among all the tombs from the Three Kingdoms Period that records the name of the buried king and the exact date of construction.