Ancient Korean Crown Encrusted with Rare Jewel Beetle Wings Unveils Stunning Secrets from 1,400 Years Ago
Even at the time of discovery, archaeologists were touting the crown as the most splendid ever found in the Gyeongju area. Conservation work has since revealed how much of an understatement that really was.
The Discovery Of The Jewel Beetle Wings In The Ancient Crown
Korea Heritage ServiceA close-up view of the inlay and beetle wings on the crown.
Although just seven of the beetle wings remained fixed in their original position, eight more were found strewn about the grave. The crown is bent slightly out of shape now, but a diagram from the Korea Heritage Service shows what it once looked like.
The base of the crown was a thin band from which five vertical decorations branched off. The middle three decorations were four-tiered scales inlaid with the beetle wings, while the two outer decorations looked something like antlers. The wings were placed in upside-down heart-shaped perforations all around the crown.
Korea Heritage ServiceA diagram of what the crown once looked like.
The crown itself was made of bronze and then coated in a thin layer of gold. In addition to the beetle wings, it also once had gold beads and pieces of jade hanging from it.
A few of the wings retained their original green, yellow, and red hues, but most had blackened with the passage of time.
There are still many questions about the crown and the person who once wore it, though. Researchers have thus far been unable to identify the deceased in the tomb, and additional mysteries — such as the inclusion of a metal plate between the crown’s band and vertical ornaments — are the focus of further analysis.
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