Length: 5.500 cm
Asia OA 1938.5-24.242
Room 67: Korea
Pair of gold ear-rings
Silla dynasty, 5th-6th centuries AD
Silla's love of gold and its workmanship
The isolated kingdom of Silla was long known to Arab traders and travellers, who commented on the abundance of gold there:
on the other side of China is unknown land. But high mountains rise
up densely across from Kantu. These lie over in the land of Silla,
which is rich in gold'.
Ibn Khordadhbeh, Book of Roads and Provinces, late ninth century AD.
Excavations of royal tombs near Silla's capital, Kumsong, or 'City of Gold' (modern Kyongju) have unearthed magnificent royal regalia in sheet gold, including crowns, belts, shoes, earrings, necklaces and vessels. This pair of gold ear-rings probably came from a tomb in the Kyongju area.
Both the custom of
wearing earrings and the technique of
J. Portal, Korea - art and archaeology (London, The British Museum Press, 2000)