The Stars Depicted in the Koguryo Mural Tombs

Of all the Koguryo mural tombs which have been known so far, there are altogether more than 20 that depict stars.

The stars are, in most cases, depicted in the ceilings of the tombs except for that of the Yaksu-ri tomb where the stars are depicted in the upper part of its wall.

The stars vary in their contents according to the periods the tombs were built.

They are rich in contents and scientific in representation, thus showing well the high standard of development achieved by Koguryo in astronomy.

First of all, they are so rich in their contents.

Next, they represent the shape and state of the stars in a scientific way: they are all depicted in circles, and their size and brightness are represented in accurate grades.