Special Exhibition

Opening the Time Capsule: Wondrous Expedition to the Past

○ Venue: Special Exhibition Gallery in the Permanent Exhibition Hall, 1F
○ Relics on display: Artifacts recovered from wells from the Silla Kingdom, including household items; more than 2,300 fragments of animal and human skeletons; and more than 500 pieces of metal artifacts, found in a small cauldron from a historic site in Malheul-ri, Changnyeong
○ March 20 - May 6, 2012

With this new exhibition, the National Museum of Korea aims to explore the ancient world in a refreshing new way. Towards the tumultuous end of the Silla Kingdom (57 BCE - 935 CE), people frequently buried various items as ritual offerings, to secure their hopes and prayers for the future. Some 1200 years later, these items are starting to be unearthed.

The exhibition is divided into two parts, the first of which features items recovered from ancient wells from the Silla Kingdom, including earthenware, roof tiles, buckets, and the bones of animals and even a child. Many of these items are believed to be evidence of rituals being performed in the wells, to pray for a steady supply of water, more rainfall, or good health.

The second part of the exhibition is subdivided into three themes: fragrance, sound, and light. It presents the wishes of Silla people, which were held in a small cauldron excavated from what is presumed to be a former temple site in Malheul-ri, Changnyeong. Interestingly, upon being buried, the top of the cauldron was covered with worthless metal scraps, concealing the treasures inside, including a splendid gilt-bronze ornamental plate inscribed with an image of Buddha, a gilt-bronze wind-bell, and an incense burner.

It is expected that, through this unique exhibition, visitors can experience the time when ancient Silla people held their wishes in their hearts?and in their precious objects.