• KOMUNHWA
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• no.69
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• pp.63-89
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• 2007

The Archaeological sites of so called Round Clay Rim Pottery (Jeomtodaetogi : 점토대토기) culture in Kangwon region have been rarely excavated in proper form. Since most cases belong to those of ground surface gatherings, it is difficult to certify the nature and the association with other artifacts. Therefore, researches on that culture have been limited to simply set the chronological order in the Bronze Age in realtion with the Plain Pottery culture. However, a comparative study trying to explain the Round Clay Rim Pottery culture in both Yeongseo(영서) and Yeongdong(영동) has become possible thanks to recent excavation results from the sites of Chilgeon-dong(칠전동) in Chunchon City(춘천시) and Songrim-ri(송림리) in Kangneung City(강릉시), for example. Certain difference can be observed in form and amount of artifacts in between Yeongseo and Yeongdong. Such difference can be seen as individual localization in different places diffused from a common source, rather than showing different stages of unilineal developmental process of one culture. The Round Clay Rim Pottery culture seems to have been coexisted with the Rim-Perforated Pottery(공렬토기) and Dolmen(지석묘) culture. According to the radiocarbondatings, the upper time limit of the Round Clay Rim Pottery culture goes back considerably beyond the alleged upper limit of either the late fourth century or the second century B.C.. However, both cultures absorbed into the Iron Culture during the same period.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.216-233
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• 2020

This study set out to review tomb culture in the Gyeongju region during the Bronze Age, and also examine the patterns of dolmens during their end phase. For these purposes, the study analyzed 18 tomb relics from the Bronze Age and nine from the early Iron Age. Gyeongju belongs to the Geomdan-ri cultural zone. Approximately 120 tombs from the Bronze Age have been excavated in the Gyeongju region. There are fewer tombs than dwellings in the region, which is a general characteristic of the Geomdan-ri cultural zone. Although the number of tombs is small, the detailed structure of the dead body is varied. During the Bronze Age, tombs in the Gyeongju region were characterized by more prolific construction of pit tombs, dolmens with boundaries, and stacked stone altars than were the cases in other areas. There is a great possibility that the pit tombs in the Gyeongju region were influenced by their counterparts in the northeastern parts of North Korea, given the spindle whorl artifacts buried at the Dongsan-ri sites. Dolmens with boundaries and stacked stone altars are usually distributed in the Songguk-ri cultural zone, and it is peculiar that instances of these are found in large numbers in the Gyeongju region as part of the Geomdanri cultural zone. Even in the early Iron Age, the building of dolmens with boundaries and stacked stone altars continued in the Gyeongju region under the influence of the Bronze Age. A new group of people moved into the area, and they crafted ring-rimmed pottery and built wooden coffin tombs. In the early Iron Age, new rituals performed in high places also appeared, and were likely to provide venues for memorial services for heavenly gods in town-center areas. The Hwacheon-ri Mt. 251-1 relic and the Jukdong-ri relic are ruins that exhibit the aspect of rituals performed in high places well. In these rituals performed in high places, a stacked stone altar was built with the same form as the dolmens with boundaries, and a similar rock to the cover stone of a dolmen was used. People continued to build and use dolmens with boundaries and stacked stone altars while sustaining the Bronze Age traditions, even into the early Iron Age, because the authority of dolmens was maintained. Some dolmens with boundaries and stacked stone altars, known as being Bronze Age in origin, would have continued to be used in ritual practices until the early Iron Age. Entering the latter half of the second century B.C., wooden coffin tombs began to propagate. This was the time when the southern provinces, including the Gyeongju region, were included in the East Asian network, with the spread of ironware culture and the arrival of artifacts from central China. Around this time, dolmen culture faded into history with a new era beginning in its place.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.146-159
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• 2019

This study focuses on the understanding of human subsistence and pottery use during ancient times on the Korean peninsula through lipid analysis of potsherds from several major prehistoric settlement sites. Ancient human subsistence has been one of the long-standing topics in Korean archaeology. However, since the high acidity of sediments does not allow long-term preservation of organic remains, we still lack some critical information related to the prehistoric diet. Pottery contains relatively well-preserved organic remains created during past cooking events. Though pottery is one of the most studied material cultures in Korean archaeology, almost no attention has been given to analyzing the pottery itself. This is a surprising omission and represents a serious gap in our understanding of prehistoric technology and subsistence. The analysis of ancient lipids extracted from the pottery matrix using GC-MS and isotope analysis can contribute to our understanding of the true nature of past subsistence strategies. Potsherd samples for the analyses in this study were collected from six prehistoric and early historic settlement sites located in the central part of the Korean peninsula. The results showed that subsistence strategies differed by both location and time period. For example, at Jungdo, an inland open-air Bronze Age settlement site in Chuncheon City, we were able to see the presence of terrestrial mammals. At Gahak-dong, Gwangmyeong City, marine resources were utilized, as the location of the site is not far from the coastline. At the early historic site of Guwol-dong, Incheon City, we were able to detect dairy products. The results of this study suggest that there was utilization of a wider range of resources among ancient dwellers in the central part of the Korean peninsula.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.47-64
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• 2015

The excavated potteries and raw clays of the Bronze Age from the archaeological sites in the Cheonan-Asan area were studied on material scientific characteristics and homogeneity. Under the microscope, grainsize of the tempers in the potteries were distributed from less than 1mm to 10mm. Microtexture of the potteries showed various shapes and sizes of pores. In addition to the main minerals such as quartz, feldspar, mica, hornblende, chlorite and talc were found from the X-ray diffraction analysis of potteries, while talc was not found in the raw clay. Therefore, it was considered as an artificially added mineral. Firing temperature of the potteries, which did not contain chlorite, are assumed that they were baked below $850^{\circ}C$. On the other hand, the potteries which had mica and talc, are assumed that they were fired below $900^{\circ}C$. The geochemical characteristics of the potteries and raw clays showed very similar patterns, that means the potteries were produced by using the raw clay sources from each site.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.181-188
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• 2017

A total of 16 precious archaeomagnetic dating data were obtained from various historic sites including fired soils from eight archaeological sites on Jeju Island. We researched the measurement results of 12 pieces of data from before the Common Era (BCE), and four pieces of data from after the Common Era. First, the BCE data could be divided into three groups (A, B, and C) based on the difference in the archaeomagnetic data. By comparing the data accumulated in other parts of Korea and referring to the archaeological years, the order of the groups was as follows: A group (Bronze Age~Early Iron Age) ${\rightarrow}$ B group (Early Iron Age when the circular rim eomtodae pottery was excavated) ${\rightarrow}$ C group (Early Iron Age when triangulated rim jeomtodae pottery was excavated), with A group being the earliest data group and C group being the latest data group. In addition, the data after the Common Era could be used to determine the archaeomagnetic dating of the archaeological sites. Through the archaeomagnetic dating of Jeju's archaeological sites for the BCE period, the relative order of the relics was determined, and for the period after the Common Era, the absolute age of the historic sites was obtained. They are expected to be used diversely in the chronological study of Jeju.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.83-100
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• 2019

The purposes of this study are to identify the meaning of the geometrical patterns preferred by ancient Korean peoples and to classify them into some groups by their similarity. We investigated various patterns found on clothing and relics from GoJoseon to Goguryeo period, and utilized secondary sources such as history articles, Internet materials and photo and analyzed the associations of the varied patterns found in pottery, handicrafts, and clothing with the ancient cultures. We found the letters (ㅇ, ㅁ, and ㅅ of Korean alphabet, Hangul) preferred by ancestors who worshipped nature to identify the significations attached by them to particular patterns. The results confirm the following: first, the circle pattern indicated the sun, moon, stars in the sky, a bronze mirror, and a man's face. Circles and ovals were also observed to represent the individual souls of the clan or community. Second, square patterns symbolized the land and the patterns that signified the wellbeing of family and the country. Oblique rectangles were more frequently used as they represented a double use of the triangle, a shape that implied mystic power. Third, triangle symbolized regeneration, power, and humanity. While the Neolithic Age jade remnants of hair combs appear not to be irrelevant to the process of comb-shaped pottery production of the time, many fine comb-like lines may be found on bronze mirrors. Through its review of the glorious designs inherited from and established by ancient ancestors, the present research endeavor may help in identifying the spirits and traditions of Korean history.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.35
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• pp.28-56
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• 2002

There is no definite theory, which archeologists have believed to be built either for the protection or ceremonial purpose, of enclosure historical site exhibited from Bronze Age to Samhan era in Korea. The main conditions of choosing right enclosure were natural levee-backswamp-plateau, which all found in village on a hill. For this reasons Kimhae Daesoeng-dong enclosure discovered in 2001 is not an exception, and therefore this enclosure has been believed to be a beginning point of the farming society. In Korea there have been 2 types of enclosure. One is that enclosure entirely surrounds whole historic site itself and the other is that enclosure partially does. Although Kimhae Daesoeng-dong historic site has been discovered only part of it, it's not believed to have the first type-which surrounds the whole enclosure historic site In this research, 3 developing steps of enclosure historic site were defined. Enclosure surrounds only a part of the historic site is 1st step. Enclosure surrounds all around the site is 2nd step. The site discovered with big round clay pottery and developed into multiple enclosure is 3rd step. Since some researches have not been accomplished, the hypothesis above was suggested to have a better understanding of the development of enclosure historic site. The purpose of enclosure has been separately explained for the protection or for the ceremony. It is difficult to assert that excavation sites could be applied to only one of two purposes. But it is possible that both purposes of enclosure such as protection and as division from ceremonial area could be applied together. Kimhae Daesoeng-dong enclosure was shown for the purpose of division from ceremonial area. But we can not ignore that since Kimhae Daesoeng-dong enclosure exposed to the Sea and dwelling area was not shown from village hill, it would be probably for the protection. However enclosure of Gujibong village area in Daesoeng-dong had used for ceremonial purpose since the Bronze Age, even this enclosure would be possible to play an important role of being a center of legend of Gaya foundation. Many unsolved questions are still lying ahead. The enclosure was used for a short time, even if dwelling area was found in and out of enclosure, there were no differences between them, and although duplicate and triplicate enclosure were found, we could not sure which were before and after. Also we could not confirm the type of enclosure with location condition which was the flat land or the top of hill on floodplain. We should not divide the types of enclosure historic site due to differences from cross section of stratum. And I expect that we will have much data such as distribution of enclosure historic site in Yeongnam area where is concerned with origin and diffusion of Japan and China.

• Bangmulgwan gwa yeongu (The National Museum of Korea Journal)
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• v.1
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• pp.150-173
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• 2024

The Gyeongsang region experienced an epoch-making social transformation approximately around the second to first century BCE, including the replacement of Bronze Age types of tombs (such as dolmens, stone cist tombs, and earthen tombs with flat capstones) with clusters of wooden coffin tombs and the emergence of wajil pottery (soft stoneware) and ironware. These shifts in the archaeological material evidence have been discussed in the context of the formation of the states that comprised the three Han confederacies and in relation to wooden coffin tombs built in later periods. This paper explicates the appearance of clustered wooden coffin tombs with accompanying ironware by categorizing them. In particular, it examines the emergence of wooden coffin tombs by creating the Wolseong-dong type, which differs from Tomb No. 5 in Joyang-dong and Tomb No. 1 in Daho-ri with their deep burial pits and large quantities of prestige goods and soft stoneware items. The Wolseong-dong type of tomb commonly features ironware, including flat-bladed iron axes, oblong cast iron axes, iron wire, iron chisels, and iron swords; a small slender, rectangular wooden coffin tomb with a shallow burial pit of less than sixty centimeters; and pottery of a type preceding soft stoneware, such as long-necked jars, triangular attached-rim pottery bowls and pots, and mounted vessels. There are also a few bronzeware items found in them, but no prestige goods. This study scrutinizes tombs in Tamni-ri in Uiseong, Hagu-ri in Gyeongju, and Hakjeongdong in Daegu by comparing them with the Wolseong-dong type, and it confirms that in Sinseodong in Daegu, Wolseong-dong type tombs and later Joyang-dong type tombs have separate spatial distributions within the site. This also indicates that the Wolseong-dong type is a valid categorization among wooden coffin tombs. Although the rise of the Wolseong-dong type tomb is associated with the migration of a group, I reserve judgement on whether its origins should be understood in the context of the iron culture in the southwestern region of South Korea that was sparked by King Jun's advance to the south or if they lie in the western region of North Korea. Either way, the Wolseong-dong type is thought to be the tombs of a group of people with lower hierarchical status than the occupants of the later Joyang-dong type.