The gold crowns and ornaments recovered from the Gyeongju royal tombs reflect the historical circumstances of Silla in the fifth and sixth centuries, when its artistic culture flourished. The design motifs and symbols of the crowns express the aspirations and dreams that the royalty felt for the preservation of their kingdom and this style of gold crown is unique to a particular period of Silla. The book introduces the gold crowns and related articles excavated from five royal tombs: the Great Tomb at Hwangnam, Heavenly Horse Tomb, Gold Crown Tomb, Auspicious Phoenix Tomb, and Gold Bell Tomb. The descriptions are accompanied by numerous photographs and related details. In addition, three insightful essays by art history scholars are included, which explain the gold culture of Silla, the significance of Silla gold crowns, and the historical background of Silla s exceptional culture.

Gyeongju, the capital of the Kingdom of Silla, grew from a loose confederation of villages, called Saro, to become the capital of most of the Korean peninsula. Its relationships with Japan, the Eurasian Steppes, and countries along the Silk Road leading to Europe helped to make the city one of the most prosperous and significant in ancient East Asia. In this seminal new volume, Sarah Milledge Nelson draws on over 30 years’ experience to offer the first complete history of this fascinating city. Gyeongju explores culture, class and rank, industry, international relations, rulers, and socio-cultural issues such as gender, and examines in detail the complex systems of class and rank, Gyeongju’s position as the royal seat of Silla, and the influence and legacy of the ancient city. Excavations in Gyeongju have provided evidence not only of the wealth and power of the monarchy, but also of production and agriculture, and the reach of Gyeongju’s trade routes, making this city a fascinating case study for the region. Augmented with extensive maps and images which illustrate the city’s rich history, this volume is crucial reading for anyone interested in the city, the kingdom of Silla, the history and archaeology of Korea, and early urbanism and state formation in East Asia.

"The Silla Kingdom, which flourished in Korea from 57 B.C. to 935 A.D., is known for its intricately crafted ornaments, many in resplendent gold, and for the creation of prominent Buddhist temples. Silla focuses on the striking artistic traditions of the Old and Unified Silla Kingdoms (4th-8th century), and is the first publication in English to explore the artistic and cultural legacy of this ancient realm. Among the topics explored are Korea's position as the eastern culmination of the Silk Road in the first millennium A.D. and the character and evolution of Buddhism, as illuminated by objects from major monuments, temples, and tombs. The book also presents new research about Silla's ancient capital, Gyeongju, which is known for the Gyerim-ro Dagger, as well as the pottery, glass, and beads discovered in tombs located there." -- Publisher's description.

The Three Kingdoms Period in Korean history consisted of the kingdoms of Silla, Koguryo and Paekche. It was only the Silla kingdom which seemed to have had a connection to the ancient nomadic Scythians. These people seemed so different from the indigenous inhabitants who were already living in Korea during the 3th to 6th centuries CE. It is the author’s opinion is that they were the descendants of the Scythians – who although they would not have called themselves ‘Scythians,’ they were none the less, the remnant members of nomadic tribes that pushed eastward from Central Asia and Siberia to the Korean peninsula. Once in Southern Korea, they established the Silla kingdom, where their time honored beliefs are depicted in their mound burials, wooden burial chambers, gold crowns, horse riding, and also in their Siberian shamanism. This time period of the gold crowns and the people who produced the royal headgear was the Maripgan Period, and as mentioned, they were the descendants of Scythians who although in Central Asia and Siberia were known to have existed as far back as 10,000 years BC, they were always on the move searching for new pasturelands for their herds or to avoid conflicts and war with their enemies. The Silla crowns were created around the 5th to the 7th centuries in Kyongju, the former capital of the Silla people. When they were discovered in various archaeological mound sites, they were found to be in a highly fragile state. The crowns were each designated as national treasures by the Korean government and most weigh about one kilogram. Some of the crowns came in two parts: an inner gold cap, which may have been covered in silk fabric and sat inside of the crown, and the crown itself. The crowns were totally shamanistic in their symbolism, and represented the belief systems of the Scythians of Central Asia and Siberia, which eventually made its way to Korea and the ancient Kingdom of Silla.

"When Korea's Place in the Sun first appeared, Bruce Cumings argued that Korea had endured a "fractured, shattered twentieth century." The new century has seen South Korea flourish after a restructuring of its political economy, and North Korea suffer through a famine that has cost the lives of millions of people. The United States continues to play an important role on the Korean peninsula, from the Clinton administration overseeing the first real hints of reunification to the Bush administration confronting a renewal of nuclear threats. On both sides Korea seems poised to continue its fractured existence on into the new century, with potential ramifications for the rest of the world." "For those who need a grounding in the tempestuous history surrounding Korea, or a context in which to understand its role in current global politics, this updated edition of Korea's Place in the Sun is a must read."--BOOK JACKET.

The author examines the evolution of state-level societies and their relationship to polities in Japan and China.