Gold Crown

National Treasure #338
Silla Kingdom, 5th-6th century AD
Gyeongju, Korea

Like NT #188 (earlier page), this NT #338 (left photo) has four crosspieces, instead of three, on its central ("tree") upright. It was discovered in the Geumnyeongchong tumulus. Unlike most Silla crowns, NT #338 does not have any jade gogok ornaments.

The origins of these beautiful Korean crowns can be traced all the way back, rather amazingly, to nomadic crowns from the first century AD, that have been discovered upon the plains of Afghanistan (lower photo).

Gold Crown

Tilya Tepe, 1st century BC - 1st century AD
Musee Guimet / Thierry Ollivier

From the museum website: "This crown was found in the tomb of a high-ranking nomadic woman. The base is formed by a diadem decorated with flowers, once inlaid with turquoise centers. The five tall "trees" are inserted into small gold tubes soldered to the inside of the diadem, a system that allowed the crown to be dismantled and easily transported. Golden birds appear in the upper branches of four of the five trees, which represent the Tree of Life."