Destruction and Improper Restoration of Cheomseongdae

경주첨성대의 파손과 잘못된 복구

Cheomseongdae, Korea's so-called "star-gazing tower" located in the former Silla Dynasty capital of Gyeongju, is generally believed to have maintained its original shape since its construction in 647. The stone structure was closely examined and measured by Gyeongju National Museum in 1962 and reexamined by Korean National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage in 2009. This research noted the following structural anomalies of Cheomseongdae. A corner of the top rectangle layer was broken diagonally in a form that can never be attributed to a natural cause. The four metal clamps under the top rectangle layer had been missing. Four grooves, with unknown usage, exist on the sides of the long rectangular stones projected out of the circular body at the second and third circular layers from the top. On the second circular layer from the top, there are three flat stones, less than a half as tall as their surrounding stones. The average height of the third circular layer from the top is only 23.5 cm, while the overall average of the entire 27 circular layers is 29.9cm. This research postulates that all these anomalies are due to prior destructions and improper restorations of the structure. The first destruction and restoration of Cheomsengdae was likely to have occurred before the mid 15th century. The damages might include a pavilion on the top of the structure and a stone with the name of the structure carved in. The Mongolian invasion in the 13th century was a most likely cause. After the restoration, the structure suffered at least another attack. The damages on the top layer and the missing iron clamps were due to the later attack. The grooves and flat stones were to house holding device that affixed certain objects to the outer surface of the circular body. The metal or stone objects might have faced upward at the four corners of Chemseongdae, bridging the gaps between the rectangle layers and circular layers. The current Chemseongdae lost at least the four affixed objects, four holding devices, and one flat stone.

경주첨성대는 원형을 유지하고 있거나 원형에 가까운 형태로 보존되었다고 여겨져 왔다. 경주첨성대가 파손되었음을 명시적으로 전하는 역사기록은 없으며, 파손되었다는 어떤 물증이 제시된 바도 없으므로 원형이 유지되었다는 견해는 별반 무리가 없다고 평가되어왔던 것이다. 그러나 국립문화재연구소가 2009년에 발간한 "첨성대 실측 및 훼손도 조사 보고서"를 면밀히 분석해 보면 첨성대가 원형에서 벗어나 있음이 분명하게 나타난다. 첨성대의 상층부는 심각하게 파손되었다가 원형을 회복하지 못한 형태로 잘못 복구되었음이 확실하며, 그 물증이 현재 첨성대에 고스라니 남아있다. 본 연구는 그 증거로 제 29단 정자석이 대각선방향으로 파손되어 있는 점, 제 28단에 있었던 은장이 사라진 점, 제 26단의 장대석 위에 작은 석재 3개가 남아 있는 점, 제 25단과 제 26단 장대석에 용도가 밝혀지지 않은 4개의 홈이 남아있는 점, 제 25단과 26단의 장대석 위치가 서로 바뀌어 있는 점 등을 제시한다. 경주첨성대가 처음으로 파손되었다가 원형과 다른 모습으로 복구되었던 시점은 15세기 중반 이전으로 본다.