An Analysis of a Crucible Survival and a Bead Fragments Excavated at Iksan Wanggung-ri Site in Korea

The extensive archaeological remains at the Baekje Kingdom site of Wanggung-ri, Iksan, in the South Jeolla Province, Korea, include a seventh century workshop area that was later covered by the construction of a Buddhist temple. Remains of glass, gold, and bronze artefacts, and the ceramic crucibles used in the working of these materials, provide evidence for a multi-craft, high-temperature technology. We will report the results of both chemical compositional and lead isotope analyses for Wanggung-ri glass, which is among the earliest lead-silica glass type in East Asia, as well as review the evidence for primary glass production at Wanggung-ri.