Excavations in the historic city of Gyeongju have revealed the foundations of a significant 9th-century Unified Silla Buddhist temple. The site, located near a modern infrastructure expansion, has yielded a rare set of intact bronze reliquaries hidden beneath the main altar stone. These containers, often called 'sarira', were used to house sacred relics and are intricately engraved with lotus motifs and guardian figures.
The temple layout features a traditional two-pagoda arrangement, though only the stone bases remain. The discovery of high-quality celadon tiles and gilded roof ornaments indicates that this was a high-status institution, likely supported by the Silla royal family. Archaeologists are using 3D scanning to reconstruct the original appearance of the 'Golden Hall' and its surrounding monastic cells.