calendar>>May 26. 2014 Juche 103
Ancient Tomb with Murals Discovered in DPRK
Pyongyang, May 26 (KCNA) -- The Archaeological Institute of the DPRK Academy of Social Sciences has recently discovered a tomb with mural paintings, which dates back to the Koguryo Dynasty (B.C. 277-A.D. 668).

The tomb is located at the southern foot of Mt. Kwangdae in Honam-ri, Samsok District, Pyongyang. Around it there are several Koguryo tombs registered as world cultural heritage.

As a typical Koguryo-style earthen tomb, it consists of passages and a stone chamber, which is rectangular-shaped from south to north and has two biers on the floor.

Fox-red lines are seen in the mural painting on the walls of the tomb's inside passage. And some part of the picture of four guardians, painted with red, green, fox-red, black and other colors, remain on the four walls of its chamber.

What is noteworthy in the tomb murals is a star picture on the chamber ceiling, from which big fox-red stars are believed to represent Jupiter and Mercury when referring to the then astronomical chart.

The said tomb is estimated to have been built in the sixth century, for its structural style and mural paintings.

It will be of great help in studying Koguryo's cultural development, architecture, pictorial art and astronomical level.

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