Tortoise-shaped Pedestal in Seoak-dong, Gyeongju

This tortoise-shaped pedestal is presumed to have once supported the stele honoring the life and achievements of Kim In-mun (629-694), the second son of King Muyeol (r. 654-661) of the Silla kingdom (57 BCE-935 CE).

Kim In-mun played a vital role in helping his father and older brother, King Munmu (r. 661-681), unite the Korean Peninsula under Silla rule by conquering the neighboring Goguryeo (37 BCE-668 CE) and Baekje (18 BCE-660 CE) kingdoms. This ushered in what is known as the Unified Silla period (668-935).

This is one of the earliest examples of a tortoise-shaped pedestal in Korea, together with the nearly identical Stele of King Muyeol (National Treasure No. 25). Initially influenced by Tang China (618-907), such pedestals in Korea would later come to resemble dragons rather than tortoises. The pedestal features elaborate engraved designs such as beads, clouds, lines, and a hexagonal tortoise shell pattern. In the center of the back is a raised rectangular groove into which the stele would have been erected.

Source: Korea Heritage Service signboard ↗ · collected 2026-10-08