DPRK discovers Koguryo Tomb with murals

According to the KCNA, researchers of the Archaeological Institute of the Academy of Social Sciences of the DPRK unearthed the tomb with unique murals in the area of Tongsan-dong, Raknang District of Pyongyang.

Researchers said it was the first discovery of a mural tomb from the center of the former Raknang region of the Koguryo Kingdom, which existed from 277 B.C. to 668 A.D. as the first feudal dynasty of Korea.

The stone tomb, 12.8 meters in length and two to 2.4 meters in width, consisting of an inner passage, an approach, connecting passages, two annexes, a front chamber and a back chamber, said the report.

Paintings can be seen on both walls of the inner passage, depicting five persons and four horses on the upside, and men with dark coifs on their heads carrying things like long spears.

A wheel and a rider wearing an official's headgear were painted on the western wall of the inner passage. The man's eyes and mustache and the mane of the horse are very vivid.

Also found in the tomb were bones of three persons, petal and dome style ornaments made of pure gold, circular silver ornaments, jagged gilt-bronze ornaments, coffin nails, pottery, lion-shaped clad and bronze coins among other things.

The tomb was built in a distinct way of alternately mixing lime, charcoal and clay, which is larger in size and peculiar in its style compared with other Koguryo tombs known so far. Kazinform cites Xinhua. See www.xinhuanet.com