Did you know Korea has world-class ancient gold artifacts?
An ornate gold dagger was excavated from a small tomb on Gyerim Street in the city of Gyeongju, Korea. The dagger appeared to be crafted by a master goldsmith in Rome around 6 A.D. Designated as Korean Treasure #635, this dagger is considered one of the world’s most precious ancient daggers because of its exquisite design and impeccable condition. It is 14-inches long and 3.7-inches wide at its thickest part and is embellished with a large quantity of precious garnets.
This dagger is presumed to be made by a Roman goldsmith because it is adorned with an ancient Greek spiral and Mediterranean laurel patterns. How did a dagger made in Eastern Europe end up in Korea? No other dagger of this kind was found in East Asia. Could it be evidence of exchange between Silla and Europe? As a matter of fact, Silla(57 B.C.–A.D. 935) was known as a country of gold in the ancient Arab world. Silla was described as a heaven in ancient Arabic books. And Silla left many relics that resemble the faces of the Arabic in its capital of Gyeongju. The dagger found in the tomb in Gyeongju may indicate that Silla was an open and international kingdom.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]