Archaeologists discover sacrificed man in ancient Korean noblewoman's tomb

An ancient tomb in South Korea holds a man and a woman, but archaeologists don't believe it's a romantic tale.

Researchers from South Korea's Foundation of Silla Cultural Heritage Research believe the man was killed as a human sacrifice after the woman's death, so that the couple would be buried together.

The tomb dates to the late fifth or early sixth century, according to the researchers. It was found in Gyeongju, which was the capital of Korea's Silla Dynasty from 57 B.C.E. to 935 C.E. The archaeologists believe the woman was in her 30s, and they think the tomb was intended for her, since she was wearing gold earrings and other jewelry at her burial, while the man was not buried with any accessories. The tomb also contained a separate room with a sword, a harness for horseback riding, and pottery, which they believe belonged to the woman.

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The archaeologists told Korea Joongang Daily that the discovery is unusual, since human sacrifices aren't normally buried in the same room as the tomb's owner. Kim Kwon-il, a researcher at the foundation, explained that male sacrifices were usually buried along with the artifacts, as "guards" for the deceased. The researchers believe the Gyeongju find is the first evidence of a living man being buried in the same room as a deceased woman.

The team will continue excavating the Gyeongju site, which has yielded 24 tombs so far, through the end of the month.