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The Tomb Complex of Goguryeo, North Korea

The Tomb Complex of Goguryeo became North Korea's first UNESCO World Heritage site in 2004. The complex has 30 tombs -- all thought to be of members of the royal family -- that date from the era of the Goguryeo Kingdom, which dominated the region between just before the time of Christ until the seventh century. Tombs are essentially all that remains from this vigorous and important trading culture, and of the 10,000-plus that have been discovered only approximately 90 feature art. The Goguryeo complex is particularly important because of the spectacularly well-preserved wall paintings, which depict everyday life for royalty and commoner alike. More than 70 murals have so far been discovered.

Although the caves may have been used later as tombs, there is every reason to believe that at the time the paintings were made, these ‘tombs’ were used for initiation.

Physical caves and tombs are ideal places to obtain such experiences being places that allowsensory deprivation, and which even contain occasionally stones to support resonance.  

Caves outside Korea containing rock art have been discovered in south west France, the French Pyrenees, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Sicily with some in eastern Europe and Russia.  Most of it is now recognised as being prehistoric.  There are over 300 paleolithic painted cave sites known.  Most of this rock art describes shamanic out of body travel, shape shifting , orans and so on.