The interior of Tomb No. 63 is unveiled on Nov. 28 in the neighborhoods of Gyeo-dong and Songhyeon-dong in Changnyeong-gun County, Gyeongsangnam-do Province. With relics discovered inside it, the tomb is believed to be that of a member of the ruling class of Bihwa Gaya, a state of the ancient Gaya Kingdom. (Yonhap News)

By Jung Joo-ri and Lee Jihae

A fully preserved tomb of the ruling class in Bihwa Gaya, a state of the ancient Gaya Kingdom (A.D. 42-562) on the Korean Peninsula, on Nov. 28 was unveiled in Changnyeong-gun County, Gyeongsangnam-do Province.

The National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage, a think tank under the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA), lifted two of the seven capstones of Tomb No. 63, unveiled the interior and excavated it.

Located in the county's Gyeo-dong and Songhyeon-dong neighborhoods, the some 250 tombs are estimated to have been built between the mid-fifth and early sixth centuries as the final resting spots for members of Bihwa Gaya's elite class.

Among these tombs, No. 63 was found to be well preserved. "Tomb No. 63 is covered by Tomb No. 39, which lies right above it, and thus remained unscathed from tomb raids," the CHA said.

The excavation found within the tomb a space presumed to store the deceased's corpse and his or her belongings. The earthenware discovered there was unique to the ancient state, and the tomb also had metallic hardware goods and relics.

"The tomb's surface has traces of clay being smeared on it and exposure of stones surrounding it. The tomb well reflects the burial customs of Bihwa Gaya and tomb-building technique," the CHA said.

The think tank added, "The tomb is expected to serve as an important clue to understanding the complex and diverse culture of Bihwa Gaya, which was located in the border regions of Gaya and (the) Silla (Kingdom)."

These are tombs in the neighborhoods of Gyeo-dong and Songhyeon-dong in Changnyeong-gun Country, Gyeongsangnam-do Province. (Seo Heon-gang, photographer and member of the Organization to Enlist Gaya Tombs as UNESCO World Heritage)