Abstract
This paper considers two aspects of the wooden chamber tombs with stone mound that were constructed in Wolseong North Burial Ground, in Gyeongju: tomb form and the group tomb complex. The basic unit of a wooden chamber tomb with stone mound consisted of a single round mound, covered with an additional earthen layer and surrounded by a circle of protective stones, within which a single wooden chamber was located. The form of a wooden chamber tomb with stone mound could therefore 1) be round, consisting of a single tomb unit, 2) consist of two or more attached tomb units, 3) or consist of multiple attached chambers in a single mound. The single tomb contained the burial of a single individual, and the attached tomb contained two or more individuals who were blood relations or connected by marriage. Multiple attached chambers tombs usually consisted of wooden chamber burials of the lowest rank, and have only been identified in the royal burial area of Wolseong North Burial Ground. At the Jjoksaem Area of Wolseong North Burial Ground, which is currently, under investigation, tombs have been found in small clusters along the slightly raised ground. This is likely the result of small groups of kin relations, upon selecting points along the slightly raised ground as their burial area, having constructed midsized and large single tombs and attached tombs along the axis of the slightly raised ground, which were then surrounded by smaller 'satellite' tombs. It is through this process that the tomb complex of the different groups came to be formed. The tombs of the royal burial area of Wolseong North Burial Ground, including the Daereungwon Tomb Complex, also formed group tomb complexes. Forming the centers of the group tomb complexes of the royal tomb area were huge individual round tombs where the Maripgan rulers were laid to rest or a gourd-shaped dual mound tomb, which was the final resting place of the king and his queen consort. These central tombs were surrounded by large and smaller tombs. Of the individuals that were buried in the group tomb complexes, there would have been individuals that were of equal status or social position, such as husbands and wives or blood relations, but it is unlikely that all of the buried individuals were related by blood, given the significant difference in the sizes of the tombs. It is likely that the individuals buried in the lower ranked tombs included in the group tomb complexes were 'dependents' of the deceased of the central tomb and his or her direct family who maintained a subservient relationship. Such tomb forms and group tomb complexes that can be observed amongst the wooden chamber tombs with stone mounds of Wolseong North Burial Ground provide insights into the nature of the social groups of the Silla center during the Maripgan Period. It is hoped that future studies undertaking a more detailed analysis of the data may make further contributions to unveiling the various aspects of Silla society.
본고에서는 경주 월성북고분군에서 조영된 적석목곽분의 존재 양태의 두 측면, 즉 묘형과 집단복합묘군에 대해 고찰하였다. 적석 목곽분은 호석으로 한정된 봉분 안에 단위묘곽이 설치된 원형의 단위고분이 기본형으로, 그 묘형은 단일원분, 연접분, 다곽분으로 구분된다. 단일원분은 피장자 1인의 단장분이고, 연접분은 일반적으로 부부나 혈연관계인 가족의 합장분이다. 다곽분도 대개 최하위 랭크의 묘곽들로 구성된 합장분으로, 월성북고분군의 왕릉구역에만 존재했던 것으로 보인다. 한편 현재 조사가 진행 중인 경주 월성북고분군의 쪽샘지구에서는 미고지를 따라 고분들의 소구역 군집현상이 보인다. 이는 당시 사람들이 친연관계에 따라 소집단별로 미고지를 점유하여 그 축선 방향으로 중형급 단일원분이나 연접분을 조영하고 그 주변으로 다수의 소형분들을 위성처럼 배치하여 집단복합묘군을 형성해 나갔기 때문이다. 대릉원지구를 비롯한 경주 월성북고분군의 왕릉구역에서도 고분들은 집단복합묘군을 형성하였다. 왕릉구역의 집단복합묘군은 마립간 왕릉인 초대형 단일원분이나 왕과 왕비의 합장릉인 초대형 표형분을 주분(主墳)으로 그 주변에 대소형 고분들을 배치하여 형성되었다. 집단복합묘군의 피장자 중에는 신분이나 사회적 인격이 대등한 부부나 혈연관계의 가족이 포함되었겠지만, 고분들 사이의 랭크 차이가 현저하여 피장자 모두가 혈연관계였다고 볼 수는 없다. 집단복합묘군에 포함된 하위 랭크 고분의 피장자들은 주분 피장자 및 그 가족과 주종관계의 '소속인'들이었다고 판단된다. 경주 월성북고분군의 적석목곽분에서 보이는 이와 같은 묘형과 집단복합묘군은 신라 마립간시기 중앙의 사회집단과 그 성격을 말해준다. 앞으로 이에 대한 좀 더 정밀한 분석은 당시 신라사회의 여러 측면을 밝히는 데 많은 기여를 할 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.