Iksan Ssangneung Royal Tombs

In a pine wood in Seogwang-dong, Iksan, two round earthen mounds lie side by side, one north of the other. The Iksan Ssangneung Royal Tombs have long been regarded as the graves of King Mu of Baekje, the builder of Mireuksa, and his queen, and they drew fresh attention in 2018, when human bones from the larger tomb turned out to match what the records say about King Mu. It is a quiet royal site where you can think of the hero of the Seodong folk song.

The Great King's Tomb and the Lesser King's Tomb

The pair gives the site its name, Ssangneung, "twin tombs". The northern one, with the larger mound and chamber, is called the Great King's Tomb, the smaller southern one the Lesser King's Tomb. Both are simple round mounds with no further decoration, covering late-Baekje stone chamber tombs entered through a side passage. The Goryeosa already records the site as King Mu's grave and notes that it had been robbed.

By the time of the first survey under Japanese rule (in 1916 or 1917 – sources differ), the tombs had been badly looted. Even so, part of a wooden coffin was found in the Great King's Tomb and could be reconstructed: its top was slightly wider than its base, the lid was rounded, and its handles bore an eight-petalled lotus design. The burial chamber of the Great King's Tomb is a long rectangle lined with dressed granite slabs, with bevelled stones set between the walls and ceiling to give it a nearly hexagonal cross-section. The chamber structure and finds resemble those of the Neungsan-ri tombs in Buyeo, marking these as royal-class tombs of late Baekje.

2018: one step closer to the occupant

Because the early records were so thin, the tombs were excavated again from 2017 to 2019. Analysis of human bones recovered from the Great King's Tomb pointed to a person who died in the 7th century, and features such as age and a height of about 161–170.1 cm matched the records of King Mu. The analysis also suggested a rich diet. The Lesser King's Tomb proved to be the same type of side-entrance stone chamber, and the passage leading into its burial chamber was newly identified. South of the mound, long dressed stones set two-thirds into the ground in a near semicircle were also found.

The Lesser King's Tomb is thought to belong to King Mu's queen. In the Seodong legend of the Samguk Yusa she is Princess Seonhwa of Silla, while an inscription found in the Mireuksa stone pagoda names Queen Sataek, so the question remains open.

Tripto tips

• Time needed: 30–40 minutes is enough for both tombs and the woodland path.
• Combine with: The Mireuksa Temple Site, founded by King Mu, is about 4 km to the north, and the Baekje palace site at Wanggung-ri about 2 km to the east. Together they make a half-day route through King Mu's Iksan at the end of the Baekje era.
• Getting there: The tombs are about 9 km north-east of Iksan Station, so a car or taxi is the easiest option. It is an open-air site with no admission fee.
• When to go: The pine wood around the tombs makes for a pleasant walk in any season. Visitors are few, and spring and autumn mornings are especially peaceful.
• Good to know: Do not climb the mounds and keep to the marked paths.