국립중앙박물관 NATIONAL MUSEUM OF KOREA

Crystal Necklace

This exquisite necklace featuring transparent crystals was excavated from a wooden chamber tomb in Yangdong-ri, Gimhae. Humans have always sought to adorn their bodies. In the Neolithic period, people worked with jade to create accessories, especially necklaces. Necklaces were produced across the centuries, but the materials and forms differ according to the period. During the Samhan period, which is characterized by the iron culture, necklaces began to be made from materials in diverse colors, including crystal, agate, and amber, and also using the glass and its manufacturing techniques introduced from China. According to the “Eastern Barbarians” section of the Book of Wei in Sanguo zhi (Records of the Three Kingdoms), Samhan people regarded jade and beads as more valuable than gold or silver. Various types of beads have been unearthed in great numbers from Samhan-period tombs. In particular, a number of crystal beads were used in Gyeongju and in the Gimhae areas of the Jinhan and Byeonhan Confederacies. This necklace demonstrates the outstanding crystal processing techniques and the exquisite aesthetic sense of the Samhan people. Samhan also further developed glass manufacturing technology and produced glass beads in different colors, such as red and blue.