Archaeology, Ethnology & Anthropology of Eurasia 52 (1) 2024   doi:10.17746/1563-0110.2024.52.1.134-144

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Archaeological and Anthropological Study
on the Grave of Eunuch-Official Couple Serving
for a Royal Court of Joseon Kingdom

C.S. Oh¹, M.K. Song², S.H. Han², H.S. Kim², J.W. Park², H.C. Ki³, K.T. Oh⁴, Y.-S. Kim⁵, M.J. Kim⁶, and D.H. Shin⁷

¹Department of Mortuary Science, College of Bio-Convergence, Eulji University, 553, Sanseong-daero, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do 13135, Korea

²Department of Clothing Science, The Graduate School of Seoul Women’s University, 621, Hwarangro, Nowon-gu, Seoul 01797, Korea

³Ghil Institute of Cultural Heritage, 27-1, Namgu 4-gil, Gochang-eup, Gochang-gun, Jeollabuk-do 56439, Korea

⁴Sudo Institute of Cultural Heritage, 17, Eungam-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03714, Korea

⁵Catholic Institute for Applied Anatomy, Department of Anatomy, The Catholic University of Korea, 222, Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul 06591, Korea

⁶Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Dankook University, 119, Dandae-ro, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan-si, Chungnam 31116, Korea

⁷Institute of Forensic and Anthropological Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103, Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03080, Korea

This article presents the findings of the study of a co-burial of a eunuch-official and his wife, found in the city of Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi-do Province, made in accordance with Confucian traditions during the Joseon Dynasty period. A description of finds, perfectly preserved in the grave sealed with lime-soil mixture and charcoal barrier, is given. The writings on the banners draping the coffins are studied. These say that in the left coffin the husband named Lee was buried; he was an official who oversaw the management of palace goods and held the position that was given only to eunuchs. In the right coffin, according to the writing, there was the body of the wife; she was awarded a lady’s rank corresponding to her husband’s status. Special focus is given to the description of clothes and fabric on the bodies of the buried. The results of anthropological analysis of the remains are given. Morphological features of the pelvic and skull bones provided the information on the sex of the deceased. According to the condition of the auricular surface of the left pelvic bone, the age of the eunuch-official and his wife was determined as more than 60 years. It is concluded that the research materials significantly supplement the scientific information on the position of eunuch-officials in the society during the Joseon Dynasty period.

Keywords: Korea, eunuch, Joseon period, clothing, grave, anthropology