Demographic Composition and Pathology of the Human Occupants and Sacrificial Victims at Ancient Korean Tombs

ABSTRACT Archaeological evidence demonstrates that mortuary practices involving human sacrifice, known in Korea as sunjang , were conducted in ancient Korea. However, few studies have examined the biological attributes of individuals associated with this practice to explore the relationship between sacrificial victims and principal tomb occupants or to clarify their social roles within the contemporary society. This study examines human skeletal remains excavated from the Imdang Burial Complex, one of the best‐preserved sunjang tomb sites from the Three Kingdoms period ( ca . 1st century bce to 668 ce ), notable for its large‐scale preservation of both principal tomb occupants and sacrificial victims. Through detailed osteological analysis, we investigate the demographic and pathological profiles of individuals interred at the site. Individuals were classified as principal tomb occupants or sacrificial victims based on archaeological evidence, and biological sex and age‐at‐death were estimated to identify demographic trends within each group. Pathological markers were analyzed to evaluate potential differences in health status between groups. Results indicate no significant difference in the sex composition between the two groups; however, female sacrificial victims were more often interred within the main burial chamber alongside the tomb occupant. Sacrificial victims in the main chamber were generally older than those in the subsidiary chambers, and a positive correlation existed between the age of the tomb occupant and the number of sacrificial victims. Although no significant differences were found in the frequency or severity of pathological indicators between groups, pathology scores were positively correlated with skeletal preservation quality, underscoring the need for caution when interpreting pathological data from poorly preserved remains. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of ancient Korean mortuary practices by elucidating the biological aspect of the individuals associated with the sunjang practice.