몽골지역 흉노시대 분묘연구

Abstract

This paper reviews the recent archaeological investigation on Xiongnu tombs in Mongolia that took place since 2000, and examines the research on the structure and chronology of Xiongno tombs. In the 21th century, many Xiongnu tombs, dated from 1st century BCE to 1st century CE, were discovered and excavated in Mongolia. Despite the considerable distance between the burial groups, the Xiongnu tombs throughout Mongolia are similar in the appearance on the ground and the internal structures. In case of large Xiongnu tombs, coffin walls were covered with felt rug or silk, and decorated with gold or silver ornaments. Inside or outside the coffin, ritual grave goods of similar composition are found that include animal bones, pottery, ornaments, horse equipment, bronze mirrors, lacquer wares, bronze cooking pots, jade decorations and various weapons. The small Xiongnu tombs are also relatively simple compared to large tombs, but various grave goods such as jewelry, harnesses, and earthenware can be found. The fact that the tomb structure and the composition of grave goods are the same throughout Mongolia indicates a strong central control of the tomb composition during the Xiongnu era. Most Xiongnu tombs have two types of surface stone structure: square and roughly circular. The circular tombs do not have dromos, whereas the square tombs mostly have a long rectangular dromos or entry chamber on the south side. In most of the Xiongnu tombs the mound cannot be identified, but large or extra-large tombs have a mound structure with a stone wall along the outline. Inside the large tomb there is usually a single or a double (exterior and interior) wooden chamber holding the coffin at the bottom of a burial pit. In particular, extra-large tombs with 凸-shaped outline, which have many satellite burials near the main tomb, are remarkably different in size of structure and quantity of grave goods from the others. Such tombs are thought to have belonged to the aristocratic class of the Xiongnu.