Northeast Asian History Network

Eastern Wall of the Eastern Gallery - Procession – Archers 1

This is a detailed view of the archers depicted on the eastern gallery wall in Anak Tomb No. 3. These four archers appear directly adjacent to the nobleman's carriage. The archers in the image can be seen below the ox carriage. Koguryo infantry was divided into light infantry and the heavily-armored heavy infantry. The archers in the image are only wearing armor and no helmets. These figures are wearing military attaché Chaeks (headwear with cone-shaped points) and Chalgaps (lamellar armor) over their Jeogoris (traditional Korean upper garment). Their trousers are securely tied with a strap around their calves. They can be seen carrying bows on their shoulders and quivers by their waists containing arrows with red fletchings.
The widely-acclaimed Koguryo-era bows were known as Maekgung (literally “bow of the Maek people”; Maek were considered the ancestors of Koguryo people) and highly revered by the Chinese. Unlike bows made from birch wood, the Maekgung was a type of composite bow made with the horns of an ox or water buffalo. According to records, the bow's impressive performance allowed arrows to travel a “thousand paces.”