Bohai cemeteries on the north of Korean peninsula: the problem of identification

Bohai burial sites are known in the three countries - China, Russia and North Korea. Burials in China and Russia were investigated in detail and there is no mistake attributing them to the Bohai. North Korean archaeologists have unearthed burial grounds, which they define as Bohai graves. The most significant of them are the burial grounds in the area Bugori, Gunsim, Pyeongri. Burial grounds of Pyeongri are located in the county of Pukchon in South Hamgyeong province. Graves stretch from North to South for approximately 1 km, and from East to West for about the same distance. The number of graves here is about six hundred, including burials of Goguryeo epoch. Burial grounds of Gunsim in Hweryeong county of the North Hamgyeong province include about three hundred graves. Burial grounds of Bugori near the city of Cheongjin in the province of North Hamgyeong include five hundred graves. In addition to the mentioned large burial grounds in the territory of the provinces of the South and North Hamgyeong, there are other burial grounds, which are attributed by the North Korean scientists to Bohai but are confusingly similar to Goguryeo. Most of them are located in the province of North Hamgyeong. A large part of the published works of Korean archeologists is devoted to the graves in the area Bugori. This is because of a large number of burial sites there. Some of them are quite remarkable, for example graves in Yeonchagol (located in the area of Bugori). Burial grounds of Bugori can be divided into two groups based on the characteristics of the burial structure. The first group consists of stone chamber tombs with mound (for example Yeonchagol № 1, Daraegol № 2 etc.). The second group are stone coffin tombs. Graves in Bugori that were discovered by North Korean archaeologists and defined by them as Bohai burials have a number of features not typical for Bohai tombs. This is evidenced by grave goods. In particular, items of horse harness have a direct analogy with the Goguryeo burial sites dating back to 4-6 centuries A.D. Such items of grave goods as horse bits and stirrups indicate that Goguryeo people were buried in these graves. Ceramic items of Bugori are also very similar to Goguryeo ceramics. Iron arrowheads are also similar with Goguryeo arms. Summing up the grave goods of burial grounds in the area Bugori can be characterized as Goguryeo items, especially grave goods of Yeonchagol. Constructions of Bugori tombs also show that these burial grounds were built during the Goguryeo epoch. So they should be considered as Goguryeo archaeological sites. Analysis of grave goods, elements of burial construction of the graves in Bugori shows that Bohai attribution of these burial grounds was not valid enough. Burial constructions on these burial grounds, grave goods also evidence in favor of their Goguryeo age. Thus, these burial sites are the remains of Goguryeo history. Burial grounds of Bugori are important for researching funeral rite of Goguryeo.