Stone Artifacts of Iksan Ssangneung’s Sowangneung and Its Probable Occupant

In re-excavation of the Sowangneung in Iksan Ssangneung site progressed in 2019, three types of stone artifacts were unearthed: a Stele-shaped epitaph stone, a Pillar-shaped epitaph stone, and several stone structures. These elements were not typically observed among Baekje tombs, so they may reflect the unique status of the tomb’s buried occupant. The “Stele-shaped epitaph stone” is a ‘non-inscribed stele-type epitaph,’ and typological lineage can be traced to Chinese Northern Dynasties through the Sui period. The “Pillar-shaped epitaph stone”, previously thought to be of Goguryeo origin, is now interpreted as a ‘base stone for corridor sealing’. Similar examples are found in various tombs of Baekje Sabi period, including the Daewangneung of Ssangneung, suggesting that its typological roots need not be sought outside Baekje. “Stone structure” is thought to be the ‘altar stone’, which is not found in Baekje, Goguryeo, the Chinese Northern and Southern Dynasties, Sui, and Tang. However, it is commonly observed in Silla tombs, and its placement method within the tomb matches that tradition, indicating that it is of Silla origin. Judging by its form and petromagnetic susceptibility measurement values, the ‘altar stone’ appears to have been added in the early 8th century. Based on these findings, an attempt was made to infer the identity of the tomb’s occupant. The presence of artifacts with typological roots in the Northern Dynasties to Sui is a natural phenomenon in Baekje Sabi-period tombs and thus does not provide any distinctive clue for identifying the occupant. However, the ‘altar stone’, which appears to have been added in the early 8th century and is found exclusively in the Sowangneung among Baekje royal tombs. Among Baekje kings and queens who passed away between late 6th and early 7th centuries, the only individual likely to have been specially honored by the Unified Silla court with regular ancestral rites is ‘Princess Seonhwa of Silla’.