Discovered in 2016 and unveiled to the public on June 16, 2022, the Gold Leaf with Twin Phoenixes and Floral Motif is a stunning artifact from the Silla Kingdom. Made of 99.9% pure gold, the 0.3g leaf is pressed to an astonishing thinness of 0.04mm. Within a frame just 3.6 cm wide and 1.17 cm tall, two pigeons and a cluster of blossoms are intricately engraved with near-microscopic precision.
The lines, thinner than a human hair (under 0.05mm), were carved using a jogeum (metal engraving) technique with fine tools like chisels and burins. The patterns are virtually invisible to the naked eye — only magnification reveals the unmatched craftsmanship of Silla goldsmiths and their mastery of micro-scale metalwork.
