Gold Girdle

Hwangnamdaechong Tomb in Gyeongju is a double tomb, with the two burials attached along a north-south axis. It is believed that a king was buried beneath the South Mound and a queen beneath the North Mound. This gold girdle was discovered in the North Mound, and the gold girdle ornament was inscribed “buindae” (夫人帶), meaning “woman’s girdle.” Based on this and other lines of evidence, it was possible to establish that the deceased in the North Tomb was a woman. The gold girdle appears to have been derived from the herding communities of the Northern regions, who traditionally hung various objects from their belts. The leather portions of the girdle have disintegrated, leaving only the gold charms, which include items like comma-shaped jade and gold pieces, and several gold charms shaped like a fish, knife, whetstone, and embroidery thread, which appear to symbolize everyday tools and accessories.