In Unified Silla, small clay figurines of the twelve animals of the Asian zodiac were often buried inside or around a tomb, reflecting the belief that the animals were protectors of twelve directions. Over time, the zodiac animals came to be seen as guardian deities that protected a tomb. Their images, often wearing human clothes or armor, were placed in or near the tombs of royalty or the upper class. Indeed, the tombs of many Silla kings—including King Hyoso, King Seongdeok, King Gyeongdeok, King Wonseong, and King Heungdeok—included a ring or boundary of protective stones carved with images of the twelve zodiac animals, showing iconographic changes over time. The prominent use of these twelve deities to protect royal tombs served to emphasize the strength and authority of the crown.