1,400-year-old icehouse discovered in South Korea

An icehouse from the Sisi period of Baekje (538-660) was unearthed from Busu Mountain Fortress in Buyeo, South Korea. This is the first igloo from that period discovered so far.

It is a roughly square structure, 23 feet wide and 26 feet long, with an interior U shape. It was dug 8.2 feet deep into the bedrock, and stones were later placed on the south wall. A pit was dug in the center of the floor, which archaeologists believe was to collect water for drainage. A jar found next to an igloo is thought to be Jijingu, a ritual offering buried before construction to pray to the gods of the land for its safety. The jar has a short neck and a round belly. Its lid is intact, has round knobs and is in good condition. Five Chinese martial arts coins were found inside.

this [National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage of Buyeo] Explains: “An icehouse is a facility dedicated to long-term ice storage and is a hierarchical space that can only be built and operated by powerful royal authority and the state.”

The Baekje Kingdom was one of the three earliest kingdoms on the Korean Peninsula, lasting from 18 BC to 660 AD. The Baekje Sejeon period was its last century and was named after its final capital Sejeon (modern Buyeo-eup), located in the central part of the Korean Peninsula. Fusu Mountain City was built in 538 to defend the new capital. Built on Busu Mountain, the mountain is 350 feet above sea level and overlooks the Sabi City Walls. It also serves as a royal palace and gardens.

It continued to be used after the conquest of Baekje and the unification of the three Korean kingdoms of Silla (668-935), Goryeo (918-1392), and Joseon (1392-1910).

The institute plans to investigate the western area of ​​the military warehouse site (gunchangji) that was used to store military supplies during the Joseon Dynasty during the 18th excavation. The researchers said, “This area is likely to be related to the buildings discovered in the 17th survey, and it is expected to help identify the specific remains of the royal palace of Baekje’s Sapek period.”