Whose Gilt-Bronze Crown is This? Baekje's Authority or Mahan's Pride? [Videomug]

In 1917, an ancient tomb was excavated in Naju, South Jeolla Province.

That was Tomb No. 9 in Sinchon-ri.

Excavated by Japanese scholars, this tomb yielded a staggering 11 jar coffins.

Among them, the Eul coffin produced the Korean Peninsula's first gilt-bronze crown.

This discovery predated the gilt-bronze crown of Gyeongju's Geumgwanchong Tomb by four years.

However, behind this excavation was the Japanese Government-General of Korea's "Joseon Ancient Sites Survey Project" aimed at proving the Imna Nihonfu theory.

This gilt-bronze crown was also perceived as belonging to a Japanese person and nearly used as a tool to support the Imna Nihonfu theory.

For 80 years since liberation, our academic community has fought a long battle to correct this distorted interpretation.

The gilt-bronze crown, once perceived as belonging to a Japanese person, has been revised following an increase in data and progress in research after liberation to show influences from Baekje.

However, it remains a subject of debate whether it was bestowed by Baekje or directly crafted by a power base growing in strength in the Yeongsan River basin under Baekje's influence.

The Sinchon-ri gilt-bronze crown is the only one designated as a national treasure among the many gilt-bronze crowns excavated in South Korea.

It is the sole example featuring both a cornucopia-shaped cap and a headband-style outer crown, and it even bears traces of someone having modified and worn it.

In particular, the outer crown is unique, bearing no similarities to Mahan or Baekje crowns.

Who was the owner of this gilt-bronze crown? And was this gilt-bronze crown a bestowed gift from Baekje, or was it directly made by the powers of the Yeongsan River basin?

Amidst a debate that has lasted for over a century, find out in the video who the true owner of the gilt-bronze crown might have been.

(Reported by So Hwan-uk, PD: Kim In-sun, Writer: Lee Mi-sun, CG: Ahn Jun-seok and Cho Eun-sol, Filmed by Moon Jeong-do and Jang Se-won, Produced by Knowledge Contents IP Team, Footage provided by National Naju Museum)