Much attention has been paid to the artistic characteristic and symbolic meaning of clay figurines attached to Silla pottery. On the other hand, it was almost impossible to study the archaeological contexts where such figurines had been found, for lack of information provided through proper excavation reports.
It was under these circumstances that detailed information about those clay figurines and their archaeological contexts was provided through the recently published excavation report of the Jjoksaem site in central Gyeongju.
By comparing the Jjoksaem site with previously roughly reported sites, therefore, this study attempts to understand typological, temporal and social relationships between two different kinds of tombs where such clay figurines were buried as grave goods, namely, the wooden chamber tomb covered with a stone and earthen mound and the stone lined tombs. As a result, a series of differences in the typology and chronology of those burials, and the social status of those buried in the burials are suggested.