The Secret Behind the Molar

[Narrative]
After being carvered in darkness for so long, the moment the entrance to the Royal Tomb of King Muryeong was opened, various artifacts were discovered. One of the most amazing discoveries was none other than the tooth displayed before you. It was incredible to find a single molar where brilliant golden relics had lost their sheen and even the bones of the king and his queen had vanished into thin air.

Then, who does this tooth belong to?
Considering the tooth is smaller than a fingernail, it is more likely to have belonged to the queen than to the king.

Records on the stele of the royal tomb show that the queen was the mother of King Seong, the son of King Muryeong, and that she died a natural death without suffering from a disease.

But the records also raised questions about the owner of the tooth.
When the tooth was found, it showed no trace of decay and its surface was unused and clean. People therefore concluded that it was a wisdom tooth that had not emerged through the gums.

But, given that wisdom teeth usually grow out of the gums past the age of 20, one may presume that the queen died before she turned 20 years old. Such a presumption, however, is inconsistent with records that state that the queen gave birth to a son and lived to a ripe old age.

According to a recent study, there are some cases where wisdom teeth do not emerge through the gums of people even in their forties. In addition, a close analysis of the molar shows that there is a possibility that the queen’s wisdom tooth didn’t even emerge in her advanced years.

As a result, it is difficult to simply conclude that the queen was 17 years old, and the molar found in the royal tomb is presumed to have belonged to the queen who died a natural death as described in the stele.