Ornamented Dagger from Gyerim-ro, Gyeongju

Also called: Gyerim-ro golden dagger

A gold-decorated dagger from a tomb on Gyerim-ro, Gyeongju — garnets set in gold in a Western Asian style, evidence of Silla’s contact with distant lands.

It was found in 1973 in Tomb No. 14 on Gyerim-ro, Gyeongju. Scabbard and hilt are sheathed in gold sheet, set with granulation, red garnets and glass in swirling patterns. Neither the form nor the technique occurs in Silla or China; parallels are found around the Black Sea and in Central Asia, so it is thought to have been made there and imported.

With the glassware of Hwangnam Daechong, it shows Silla in touch with the far west along the steppe and silk routes. It is a Treasure in Gyeongju National Museum.