In the summer of 1927, floodwaters swept through two villages in Seon-ri, Dongbu-myeon, Gwangju-gun.
Afterwards, fragments of ancient roof tiles bearing inscriptions were unexpectedly unearthed on a sandy plain near a mountain peak. The site is thought to be linked to Hanseongju, the ancient Baekje capital.
The characters seem to denote military districts or place names from the Goguryeo and Silla periods, though part of one inscription remains undeciphered. According to the Samguk Sagi, these correspond to former Goguryeo territories later renamed by King Gyeongdeok of Silla, and later incorporated into the royal domain by King Taejo of Goryeo.
The inscriptions match ancient place names in present-day Yangju, Incheon, Yanggeun, Gyoha, Goyang, Suwon, and Kaesong.
The calligraphy is bold and dynamic, comparable to the inscriptions on the Gwanggaeto Stele of Goguryeo and the Pure Land Monument of King Jinheung of Silla, exhibiting exceptional artistry. Though mostly fragmentary, the tiles are like pieces of shattered jade—precious remnants of the Three Hans.
I applied ink and took rubbings of the tiles, recording their condition for future scholarly study.
— Written in autumn of the year Jeongmyo (1927) by Wi Chang Byeong-bu.
