GYEONGJU, SOUTH KOREA—Five years ago, South Korean archaeologists unearthed an elaborate 1,400-year-old grave at the site of Gyeongju, which once served as the capital of the ancient kingdom of Silla (ca. a.d. 57–535). The tomb, dubbed 120-2, belonged to a high-status individual who had been buried while dressed in a wealth of ornamental attire including gold earrings, a silver belt, silver and beaded bracelets, and bronze shoes. The deceased was also wearing a gilt-bronze crown which, The Miami Herald reports, archaeologists have only recently realized was the most splendid object of them all and a one-of-a-kind item. Closer inspection revealed that the crown had been decorated with a series of heart-shaped indentations that had been delicately inlaid with the colorful wings of the jewel beetle, some of which remained in situ after almost a millennium and a half. In some ancient Southeast Asian cultures, the iridescent insects were treated as natural gems and were much sought-after for their vivid green, blue, or yellowish hues. Other Silla artifacts decorated with beetle wings have been previously found, such as horse harnesses and belts, but this is the first time they have ever been identified in an elaborate headpiece like a crown. To read more about ancient ornaments fashioned from insects, go to "The Beauty of Bugs."
