Horse Tally

Joseon · 1F · Medieval and Early Modern History · Joseon 3

A mapae is a tablet issued by the Sangseowon office that allowed officials to use post-station horses while traveling on official business. Early tablets were made of wood but broke easily, so from 1434 they were made of iron, and around the promulgation of the Gyeongguk daejeon code they began to be made of copper. One side bears the number of horses, varying by the official's rank, while the other carries an identifying character, the year and month, and the seal-mark of the Sangseowon. These tablets were made in 1723, 1730, and 1624, and their inscriptions reveal exactly when each was produced.

See it in person at the National Museum of Korea — 1F · Medieval and Early Modern History · Joseon 3

Source: based on official e-museum records (National Museum of Korea).