Sword with Round Pommel from the Royal Tomb of King Muryeong, a Symbol of Supreme Power

The artifact exhibited here is the sword of King Muryeong. It was discovered to the right of the King. How about we take a closer look at it?

A cord was laced through the round pommel at the end of the hilt so that the sword could be secured to the wrist. It prevented the weapon from being dropped on the battlefield.

Inside the ring of the pommel, a dragon is depicted holding a cintamani, a wish-fulfilling jewel. On the outside of the pommel, there are two dragons looking downwards, with vivid scales.

Similar to the lions and eagles of European culture, dragons and phoenixes are used in East Asia to represent only the most powerful leaders. A sword with such decorations is symbolic of great power.

The splendid decorative features are continued on the hilt, which is wrapped with gold and silver thread. Both ends of the hilt are gold-plated and adorned with silver tortoiseshell and gold W-shaped patterns. There is a phoenix inscribed within the tortoiseshell pattern.

Let's examine the W-shape on the hilt. Analysis of a picture of this detail taken with a 1200 pixel digital camera revealed 800 stitches using small, gold beads along each side of the W. The diameter of each gold bead used was less than 0.5mm. The reason for such splendid, intricate decorations is that this sword symbolized the power of the King. Swords with round pommels were found not only in Baekje but also around the Korean Peninsula and in Japan. Of those found, King Muryeong's sword with a round pommel has been evaluated as being the greatest.