Cheonmachong (Heavenly Horse Tomb)

Tumuli Park
Gyeongju, Korea

Cheonmachong, the celebrated "Heavenly Horse" tomb in Gyeongju's Tumuli Park, is the double burial of a 5th-6th century Silla king and his consort. Numerous gold treasures from the tomb are exhibited in the Gyeongju Museum, but its most famous artifact - the painting of a flying horse shown here - is currently in Seoul.

The horse is painted on a birch bark saddle flap and is shown with winged feet. Each leg of the horse is shown in two different positions, a convention that indicates rapid movement. The renowned image is associated with ideas about shamanism and horse sacrifice in the early Korean state.

The painting is designated National Treasure #207. Two other National Treasures (a gold crown, #188, and a gold cap, #189) were also recovered from this tomb.