The National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (NRICH) under the Cultural Heritage Administration (Director Lim Jong-deok) will host an international academic conference titled “World Archaeology: Ancient Royal Tombs” in collaboration with ICCROM (International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property) an international organization led by Secretary-General Aruna Francesca Maria Gujral. The event will take place over two days on October 29 and 30 at Korea House (Gangnam Seoul) and Olympic Parktel (Songpa Seoul).

ICCROM: An intergovernmental organization established in 1956 to promote cooperation in the preservation and restoration of cultural heritage with 138 member countries including South Korea. ICCROM also serves as an advisory body to UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee.
This conference is part of the cooperation agreement signed between NRICH and ICCROM in June 2023 to promote cultural heritage conservation and management. By showcasing case studies of ancient royal tombs from around the world the event aims to assess the current status of Korea’s tomb investigation and preservation policies and to raise public interest in cultural heritage.

On the first day (October 29) which is open to the general public the event will be moderated by Choi Tae-seong Director of the Everyone’s History Research Institute. It will feature three presentations (Part 1) and a panel discussion (Part 2).

In Part 1 experts will present on key ancient tomb investigations:

“New Insights from the Recent Findings at Sipán and Their Cultural Impact” (Seira Pasapera Rojas Huaca Rajada-Sipán Museum) focusing on the excavation and research achievements at the Sipán Tombs in Peru.
“Recent Analysis of the Preservation of Pakals Tomb” (Aidé Orea Magaña Chiapas Center National Institute of Anthropology and History) discussing the preservation efforts for the Pakal Tomb in Mexico.
“Development of Korean Ancient Tombs and Royal Tombs During the Silla Maripgan Period” (Choi Byung-hyun Professor Emeritus Soongsil University) highlighting the evolution of ancient Korean tombs and the emergence of grand royal tombs.
In Part 2 the moderator and presenters will engage in a panel discussion to explore the sites introduced in Part 1 in greater depth.

The second day (October 30) will be geared towards archaeology professionals offering a more in-depth analysis of the findings presented on the first day including the Sipán Tombs in Peru and Pakal’s Tomb at the Palenque site in Mexico. Additionally ICCROM experts will share various approaches and explanations regarding the conservation management of archaeological heritage.

Following the presentations Professors Kang Bong-won (Kyungju University) and Lee Sung-joo (Kyungpook National University) will lead a discussion on investigation methods and preservation policies for ancient royal tombs from an international perspective along with the role of such tombs in the 21st century.

The event is open to anyone without prior registration and will be broadcast live on the NRICH YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/@nrichstory).

The National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage hopes that this event will shed light on the value of Korea’s cultural heritage through examples of global archaeological research and preservation practices and help shape the future direction of heritage conservation. NRICH will continue its cooperation with ICCROM to ensure that Korea’s cultural heritage is investigated preserved and utilized on a global scale.