Silla crown prince’s palace, stone flush toilet found

The excavation of the Silla Dynasty’s Wolseong Palace complex in Gyeongju, South Korea, has uncovered the location of the palace of Donggung, the residence of the crown prince of the Silla Dynasty, complete with a flushable toilet system. The 12th century chronicle Samguk sagi states that Silla King Munmu (661-681 A.D.) constructed Donggung in 679, but does not record its precise location.

Archaeologists believed it west of Wolji, an artificial pond built as part of the palace complex, but a comprehensive excavation of the area that began in 2022 found that the remains on the western side of the pond were an extension of the main royal palace, not the crown prince’s palace. When they excavated the eastern side of the pond, they found the remains of a large building with a flush toilet system dating to the Unified Silla period (668-935 A.D.). It is different in scale and elevation from the royal palace and its extension, but its size, proximity to the king’s palace and high-end amenities like the toilet system, the first of its kind found at the site, mark it as the crown prince’s palace.

Archaeologists have been excavating the palace complex every year since 2014 and have unearthed notable artifacts including a tiny but spectacular fragment of pure gold leaf intricately engraved with birds and flowers. Another valuable and rare artifact actually predating the Silla kingdom was found at the site: a lacquered wood box containing a necklace of rock crystal.

Researchers say this lacquered box may have been a high-status offering in a religious or ceremonial context.

“The necklace was discovered with its original string still intact, and it is surprisingly well-preserved,” said Kim Gyeong-yeol from the Gyeongju National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage.

Based on the condition of the artifacts and the burn marks in the surrounding area, researchers say that the ritual site was intentionally set on fire after the ceremony, a practice commonly associated with ancient purification rites.