Mireuksaji Stone Lantern Base (Iksan)

About this place

The Mireuksaji Stone Lantern Bases are two lower base stones (hadaeseok) of stone lanterns within the East Precinct (Dongwon) and Central Precinct (Jungwon) of the Mireuksaji site. The Central Precinct lantern base sits between the stone pagoda and the main hall site; the East Precinct base sits between the pagoda and main hall of that precinct. They were discovered during an excavation conducted by the Wonkwang University Mahan-Baekje Cultural Research Institute from 21 August to 20 September 1974 (the East Pagoda Site Excavation and West Pagoda Foundation Survey), alongside wind chimes and iron hardware. The components that made up the lanterns — capstone, fire chamber, upper base, and lotus lower base — were all recovered displaced from their original positions, except for the lower bases themselves; three fire chambers are now stored and exhibited at the Jeonju National Museum. The upper surface of the Mireuksaji Stone Lantern Bases is carved with eight lotus petals in the same style as the lotus-patterned convex roof tiles of the late Baekje period, indicating that these bases were made in the late Baekje era and represent the earliest known stone lantern style in Korea.