A seokjo (stone basin) is a large stone bowl that was made by cutting the exterior of a stone into a rectangular shape and digging out its interior into a gentle slope to create a vessel that could hold water. Since seokjos were used to store water, they were an essential item used daily at the temples, where the monks resided. The Stone Basin of Godalsa Temple Site is estimated to have been produced during the Goryeo Period, during the same general timeframe as the Stone Basin of the Bowonsa Temple Site. Godalsa Temple in Yeoju is said to have been established in 764 (the 23rd year of King Gyeongdeok’s reign) and was a leading Zen Buddhist temple that prospered during the Goryeo Dynasty, thanks to the support of the royal family. The stylobate at the temple is estimated to be from the Unified Silla period and was discovered in what used to be the main hall of the temple. Along with the Stone Pedestal at the Godalsa Temple Site, excavated from the main hall of the temple site, many other stone artifacts from the Goryeo Period were also discovered at the site, including the Stupa of the Godalsa Temple Site, the Stupa of Buddhist Monk Wonjong of the Gosalda Temple Site, and a turtle base and dragon cap that were part of a stele’s body stone. The Twin Lion Stone Lantern of the Godalsa Temple Site in Yeoju, housed at the National Museum of Korea, is another representative stone artifact that was unearthed at the Godalsa Temple Site in Yeoju.

The Stone Basin of the Godalsa Temple Site was made by cutting a large slab of granite into a rectangular shape and digging out its interior to form a gentle slope. The round hole at the bottom center of the basin is believed to be a drip hole that was used to drain water. The surface of the Stone Basin of the Godalsa Temple Site is smoothly polished and each corner is rounded and decorated with a vertical groove. This particular basin is a rare example of a stone basin with an added decoration. The stone basin is an important work that demonstrates the high status of Godalsa Temple as a temple that received support from the royal family.