Abstract

This study examines cremation and body burning in Goguryeo stone mound tombs to clarify aspects of Goguryeo funerary practices and perceptions of death. Vitrified stones, firedamaged roof tiles, and burned human remains have frequently been found in these tombs, yet previous studies have often interpreted such evidence without clearly distinguishing cremation from body burning. In this study, cremation is defined as the burning of the physical remains of the deceased as part of a funerary rite, whereas body burning refers to the burning of a corpse for ritual, purificatory, or punitive purposes. Evidence from Goguryeo stone mound tombs in the Tonggou Basin is compared with evidence of cremation practices found in Liaodong Peninsula, the Ganguzi cemetery in Changbai, the Wanfabazi site in Tonghua, stone mound burials in the central Korean Peninsula, and the connected stone mound tombs at Seokchon-dong. Traces of burning appear relatively frequently in early timber-coffin stone mound tombs, decrease during the wooden-chamber stage, and become rare in stone-chamber tombs. Cremation, multiple burials, and collective burial traditions are also continuously documented in surrounding regions from the Bronze Age onward. Overall, the evidence suggests that a substantial portion of the burning traces in Goguryeo stone mound tombs was likely associated with cremation as part of funerary rites, although some instances may have resulted from body burning for other purposes. These findings may reflect broader transformations in tomb structure, funerary practices, and perceptions of death in Goguryeo society.