Shilla Gold Crown Symbology
The gold crowns of the Shilla Kingdom have various forms that
are consistent through each crown and have been interpreted
by many people. Some believe that the connections of these meanings
with those in other cultures indicate that there was trade and
cultural exchange between Shilla and other nations, particularly
those in the Mediterranean region.
Perhaps the most noticable similarity on each crown is the upright
form, believed to be that of a tree, which some ancient cultures
held sacred and practiced tree worship of aged trees. In Greek
mythology, the tree was a symbol of victory and in Buddhism
the Buddha was emancipated under a tree.
Another common feature is the curved jade stones, said to symbolize
the dragon’s tooth, which represents masculine ideology
and is considered to hold omnipotent power. In Greek legend,
Cadmus, Prince of Phoenicia, obtained warriors by sowing dragons’
teeth and won victory.
The final form is that of crown ornaments,
which some believed to be the form of a bird or birds’
wings, but has been interpreted by YongSook Park (author, The
Story of Korean Art History) to be
the form of bulls’ horns. This has a connection with Zeus’
transformation into a bull in Greek mythology. (information
derived from Kim, Seung-Hee, “A
Meaning of Jewelry History In Korea”)
These forms and their interpretive representations, as well
as the fact that these gold ornaments even exist, can show a
glimpse into what the Shilla people held to be important: relationships
with nature and people, power, influence and status.
Crowns
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