calendar>>January 30. 2009 Juche 98
Earthen Walls and Road of Koguryo Discovered
Pyongyang, January 30 (KCNA) -- The Archaeological Institute of the Academy of Social Sciences has of late discovered two earthen walls and remains of a road belonging to Koguryo in the area of Mt. Jangsu in Sinwon County, South Hwanghae Province.

Two earthen walls (one in Ayang-ri and another in Toma-dong) and remains of a road of city Ribang (one of the medieval city blocks) in Namphyongyang of Koguryo, roofing tiles, a stone pillar for a granite stone lantern, an octagonal base stone and many other relics showing the advanced culture of Koguryo were discovered in the course of a recent survey and unearthing.

Also the remains are an ancient housing site and the site of a temple belonging to Koryo.

The Ayang-ri earthen wall is located in the ri seat in Sinwon County to the south of Mt. Jangsu wall. It is the remain of the wall of a royal palace built after the mid-fourth century when Koguryo was actively advancing to the south. The Toma-dong earthen wall was built to reinforce the defense of the south gate of the outer wall of Mt. Jangsu wall.

The archaeological team found that the circumference of the Ayang-ri earthen wall was 2.5 kilometers and confirmed its structure and building method.

The remains of the road indicating that the city Ribang was in Namphyongyang were found within the Ayang-ri earthen wall and in the Woldang-ri area across River Jaeryong.

The remains of the road inside the Ayang-ri earthen wall were discovered 50 centimeters underground. It is 2.9 meters wide and the stones covering it are about 20 centimeters thick.

Remains of roads respectively 2.6 meters and 4 meters wide were found in Woldang-ri.

The relics and remains are very valuable materials in shedding light on the scope of the city of Namphyongyang which was built as the secondary capital of Koguryo and base for advance to the south to unify the three kingdoms and on the style of the planning of the city consisting of the mountain wall, the royal palace wall and the large city extending before it.

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