UNESCO Adds Japanese and Mongolian Ancient Sites to World Heritage List

The 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, meeting in Busan, has inscribed several significant ancient sites onto the World Heritage List, including Japan's Asuka-Fujiwara Ancient Capital and Mongolia's Xiongnu burial sites. These decisions highlight the deep historical connections and cultural exchanges across East Asia.

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The ruins of Asuka and Fujiwara, the two capitals of the Japanese archipelago from the late 6th to early 8th centuries, reveal the establishment of a centralized system through exchanges with the Korean Peninsula and China.

The Asuka-Fujiwara site, located in Japan's Nara Prefecture, encompasses 19 locations that served as ancient Japanese capitals between the 6th and 8th centuries. The site's inscription acknowledges the influence of Korean 삼국 (Samguk) culture, particularly from Baekje and Goguryeo. Notably, the Takamatsuzuka and Kitora burial mounds within the site feature colorful murals depicting figures and mythical creatures that bear a striking resemblance to Goguryeo tomb paintings. The committee recognized the site's importance in demonstrating the establishment of a centralized state through exchanges with the Korean Peninsula and China, as well as the spread of Buddhism.

Also added to the list is Mongolia's 'Mongol Empire's Imperial Tombs,' a collection of burial sites that provide crucial evidence of the funeral customs and culture of the Xiongnu people, who established a vast empire from the 3rd century BCE to the 2nd century CE. The National Museum of Korea has been involved in extensive excavations of key sites, such as the Dorvun Nars burial complex in eastern Mongolia, yielding significant artifacts like bronze cauldrons and horse trappings that have been showcased in domestic exhibitions.

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The sites demonstrate exchanges in governance systems and the spread of Buddhism during that era, meeting the inscription criteria.

In addition to these East Asian sites, the World Heritage Committee also approved the inscription of several other notable locations. These include the historic porcelain production sites of Jingdezhen in China, the D-Day landing beaches of Normandy in France, ancient Buddhist sites in Varanasi and Sarnath in India, the architectural works of Finnish master Alvar Aalto, and a corridor along the ancient Silk Road in the Fergana Valley. The committee's session is scheduled to conclude on July 29.

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The burial mounds, including the Dorvun Nars burial complex, provide concrete insights into the funeral customs and mound-building practices of the ancient nomadic Xiongnu.