Tortoise-shaped Pedestal at Yeongamsa Temple Site, Hapcheon

Basic information

Designation

Treasure No.489

Category

Sculpture

Era

통일신라시대

Designated year

1968

Location

합천군, 경상남도— 경상남도 합천군 가회면 둔내리 산 170-1

Coordinates

35.474187, 128.001937

Two tortoise-shaped pedestals on the Yeongamsa Temple site are located in the east and the west of the Buddhist sanctum site. The foundation year of Yeongamsa Temple is not known, but with many relics of the heyday of the Unified Silla era, it is estimated to have been built around that period. As there are many foundations of constructions on the site, including the sanctum, it is assumed that the temple was huge in scale. These two tortoise-shaped pedestals of steles remain without their main bodies and capstones. The eastern one has its back engraved with hexagonal patterns, while the rectangular supporting stone for the main body is carved with a cloud design. Although it looks overall like a tortoise, it has the head of a dragon with a stretched out neck, holding a magic bead in its mouth. The western pedestal is also engraved with hexagonal patterns on its back. The supporting stone for the main body is engraved with panel decorations on its four sides and lotus petals on its edges. It is slightly thinner and smaller than the eastern pedestal, but both show almost the same workmanship, and in particular, the eastern pedestal exhibits a sophisticated and vivid expression in its sculpture. Judging by the styles of these two pedestals and the stone relics found around them, it is assumed that they were built during the ninth century of the Unified Silla period.

Location