New Mural Tomb Dating Back to Koryo Period Found

 Pyongyang, October 4 (KCNA) -- A new mural tomb dating back to the Koryo period (918-1392) has been found in the township area of Jangphung County, Kaesong Municipality of the DPRK.
A research group of the History Faculty of Kim Il Sung University discovered the tomb in the course of deepening the survey and excavation of historical relics.
The mural tomb is composed of a stone coffin laid 1.5 meter deep from the earth surface and such outer setups as stone-stair and protection walls. The floor of the tomb is well tamed with weathered gneiss and its east, west and south walls are made with trimmed granite. Its north wall is composed of a black plain rock with the records on the deceased's career and family inscribed.
The stone coffin is covered with 150cm long, 140cm wide and 35cm thick lid stone.
The murals on the east and west walls are landscapes in ink depicting the scenery of surrounding area on smoothly trimmed granite slabs.
The picture on the south wall shows two warriors standing guard in the front gate.
On the north wall made of black slate are more than 1 000 letters in 42 rows, 27 characters in one row, inscribed. The letters explain that the dead was a military officer in the first half of the 11th century and he was conferred honors of chief captain posthumously.
This mural tomb is of high academic significance.
The mural tombs of Koryo, including royal mausoleums which have been discovered so far, are not many, but the mural of the recently unearthed tomb is the first one realistically reflecting the beautiful scenery, especially the actual landscape.
In addition, large quantities of inscriptions on monuments were unearthed, making it possible to study at a new stage the history and culture of the Koryo period.
The inscription on the tomb carries data capable of proving political, economic, cultural and military fields of Koryo from the late 10th century to the first half of the 11th century.
The tomb mural has many things in common with the mural paintings of tombs dating back to Koguryo (B.C. 277-A.D. 668) in content and painting. -0-