Archaeological and Anthropological Study on the Grave of Eunuch-Official Couple Serving for a Royal Court of Joseon Kingdom
https://doi.org/10.17746/1563-0110.2024.52.1.134-144
Abstract
This article presents the findings of the study of a co-burial of a eunuch-official and his wife, found in the city of Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi-do Province, made in accordance with Confucian traditions during the Joseon Dynasty period. A description of finds, perfectly preserved in the grave sealed with lime-soil mixture and charcoal barrier, is given. The writings on the banners draping the coffins are studied. These say that in the left coffin the husband named Lee was buried; he was an official who oversaw the management of palace goods and held the position that was given only to eunuchs. In the right coffin, according to the writing, there was the body of the wife; she was awarded a lady’s rank corresponding to her husband’s status. Special focus is given to the description of clothes and fabric on the bodies of the buried. The results of anthropological analysis of the remains are given. Morphological features of the pelvic and skull bones provided the information on the sex of the deceased. According to the condition of the auricular surface of the left pelvic bone, the age of the eunuch-official and his wife was determined as more than 60 years. It is concluded that the research materials significantly supplement the scientific information on the position of eunuch-officials in the society during the Joseon Dynasty period.
Supporting agencies: This research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MSIT; No. 2022R1C1C1013540). The study was carried out after obtaining a review exemption from the Institutional Review Board of Seoul National University Hospital (IRB No. 2017–001) and Eulji University (IRB No. EU22-40). Author contributions are as follows. Conceptualization and design of study: C.S. Oh, M.K. Song, D.H. Shin; anthropological data analysis: Y.-S. Kim, M.J. Kim; historical dress works: M.K. Song, S.H. Han, H.S. Kim, J.W. Park; historical analysis: H.C. Ki, M.K. Song, D.H. Shin; archaeological studies: K.T. Oh; writing the article: C.S. Oh, D.H. Shin.
About the Authors
C. S. Oh
Department of Mortuary Science, College of Bio-Convergence, Eulji University
Korea, Republic of
Korea, Republic of
553, Sanseong-daero, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do 13135
M. K. Song
Department of Clothing Science, The Graduate School of Seoul Women’s University
Korea, Republic of
Korea, Republic of
621, Hwarangro, Nowon-gu, Seoul 01797
S. H. Han
Department of Clothing Science, The Graduate School of Seoul Women’s University
Korea, Republic of
Korea, Republic of
621, Hwarangro, Nowon-gu, Seoul 01797
H. S. Kim
Department of Clothing Science, The Graduate School of Seoul Women’s University
Korea, Republic of
Korea, Republic of
621, Hwarangro, Nowon-gu, Seoul 01797
J. W. Park
Department of Clothing Science, The Graduate School of Seoul Women’s University
Korea, Republic of
Korea, Republic of
621, Hwarangro, Nowon-gu, Seoul 01797
H. C. Ki
Ghil Institute of Cultural Heritage
Korea, Republic of
Korea, Republic of
27-1, Namgu 4-gil, Gochang-eup, Gochang-gun, Jeollabuk-do 56439
K. T. Oh
Sudo Institute of Cultural Heritage
Korea, Republic of
Korea, Republic of
17, Eungam-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03714
Y.-S. Kim
Catholic Institute for Applied Anatomy, Department of Anatomy, The Catholic University of Korea
Korea, Republic of
Korea, Republic of
222, Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul 06591
M. J. Kim
Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Dankook University
Korea, Republic of
Korea, Republic of
119, Dandae-ro, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan-si, Chungnam 31116
D. H. Shin
Institute of Forensic and Anthropological Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
103, Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03080
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Review
For citations:
Oh C.S., Song M.K., Han S.H., Kim H.S., Park J.W., Ki H.C., Oh K.T., Kim Y., Kim M.J., Shin D.H. Archaeological and Anthropological Study on the Grave of Eunuch-Official Couple Serving for a Royal Court of Joseon Kingdom. Archaeology, Ethnology & Anthropology of Eurasia. 2024;52(1):134-144. https://doi.org/10.17746/1563-0110.2024.52.1.134-144
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