• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.232-249
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• 2022

The purpose of this article is to review the status of designation and preservation, management of national prehistoric sites and to suggest future applications. Prior to the discussion, the overall status of national prehistoric sites was reviewed. Specifically, the current status of designation, designated area, and distribution by region of national prehistoric sites according to the period and nature of the sites were examined in detail. Next, in order to understand the preservation and management of national prehistoric sites, I report the results of field trips to several sites, such as Geomdan-ri in Ulju, Songguk-ri in Buyeo, and Seoktaek-ri in Hongseong, and propose some measures for preservation, maintenance, and management of the remains. Finally, by referring to cases of US national historic sites such as protection, conservation, operation and management system and academic research project of cultural heritage, it is necessary to consider the need for a direction of the utilization that considers both socio-economic aspects as well as education and research on cultural heritage. The active use of cultural heritage can be a measure that leads to the continuous preservation and management of the sites, and ultimately will be a shortcut to increasing the value of national prehistoric sites.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.244-254
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• 2020

This study investigates prehistoric human subsistence and pottery use on the Korean peninsula through the organic residue analysis of archaeological potsherds. Ancient human subsistence is one of the core topics in Korean archaeology. However, due to the high acidity of sediments, which prevents the long-term preservation of organic remains, archaeologists have been short of critical information on how these early prehistoric dwellers lived. Ceramic vessels can contain well-preserved lipids originating from past culinary practices. For a better understanding of human subsistence on the prehistoric Korean peninsula, food-processing behaviors were reconstructed by analyzing ancient lipids extracted from a pottery matrix. The potsherd samples used in the analysis in this paper were collected from major prehistoric habitation sites. The results show that subsistence strategies differed according to both location and time period and reveal how organic residue analysis can contribute to a better understanding of prehistoric human subsistence strategies.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.23-35
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• 2012

The optimum location of the prehistoric sites of Ulsan Metropolitan City are investigated by both quantile and natural breaks methods through GIS, and the settlement pattern is studied based on the possibility of presence of the prehistoric sites which are also analyzed with these methods. Such factors including elevation, slope, distance from the nearest water, aspect, geological features, soil drainage classes, subsoil and land use recommended are employed in the analysis. The optimum geographical environment is the place where it includes the water-base in the area that is the southern aspect of the gentle slope land of lowland. The geology is the Quaternary alluvium. The drainage class is fine and the deep soil saturn is the fine loamy soil and the recommendation of land use is the area that is the field. As a result of the forecast of distribution, the prehistoric sites showed the higher possibility of presence in the downstream region where the Taehwa river and Dongcheon river join because the region come close to the watercourse and the drinking water use is easy. And the aspect and elevation is the low area. The alluvium accumulated from the upper stream of the Taehwa river and Dongheon river was made roomily, the area where is suitable for the farming life. Therefore, this region is judged that the possibility of presence of the prehistoric sites is high.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.47-67
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• 1987

Geologically speaking, many lava tunnels and caves are characteristic geomorphic features in Che-Ju Island. Especially, cave-ins are found along cliffs of shoreline and streams. The prehistoric early inhabitants in the island used the tunnels and cave-ins as their major shelters from palaeolithic period to the iron period (AD300-600). These tunnel-dwelling sites and rock-shelters are unsidered to be long-term shelters from the palaeolithic period to the neolithic period. However, these shelters and sites might be changed as temporary camping sites from the bronze to the iron period.

• 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.

• 한국문화재보존과학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.10a
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• pp.13-14
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• 2007

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.41-56
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to look into the location environment of prehistoric and ancient remains (hereinafter referred as remains) in Daejeon Area. For the purpose of this, out of remains reported in investigation areas so far with the object of remains (total 22 places) of New Stone Age -Proto Three Kingdom period, geographical and Geomorphological analysis was conducted. The results are like the following. Most of the remains are distributed over hills especially flat surface - semi-gentle slope of hills. The bed rocks of the remains (21 places, about 95%) are composed of double-mica granite. The remains (19 places, 86%) retain 'the 1st-2nd small scale river and '5th or higher medium scale river'within comparatively short distance at the same time. The average altitude of remains is 71m and most remains are located over the altitude of 50 - 90m. The average gradient of hillslop where the remains are located is $6.7^{\circ}$ and the remains (15 places, 71%) are located over the gradient of about $0-15^{\circ}$. And the tendency that the higher the gradient of remains the smaller the number of remains was confirmed. From the above, it is judged that the inhabitants who lived in Daejeon Area at that time preferred hills with comparatively not high altitude and the earth's surface of low gradient and in addition they recognized water (river) as being important when they selected the location of settlement (or dwelling sites group).

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.23
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• pp.25-37
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• 2008

This study focuses on identification of mineralogical and geochemical characteristics and interpretation of raw material sources for prehistoric chlorite beads excavated from Geoseokri site in Boseong and Buntori site in Haenam, Korea. These prehistoric beads consist of three grayish blue ring-shaped beads, one dark green tubular bead and one greenish black tubular bead that show acicular-columnar and fibrous microtexture. The beads are composed of $SiO_2$, $Al_2O_3$, MgO and FeO as majors and a trace amount of $K_2O$, CaO and Na_2O$. Mineral species is mostly chlorite with a small amount of quartz and feldspar. Quantitative analysis indicates that the grayish blue ring-shaped beads and the dark green tubular bead belong to clinochlore and the greenish black tubular bead does to the boundary between clinochlore and sheridantie. Chlorite is a hydrous phyllosilicate mineral and it shows various microtexture of acicular, sheeted, earthy, granular andfibrous shapes. As its hardness is 2, chlorite is easily engraved due to its softness. It has aesthetic worthy as it shows green, black and greenish gray colors and pearly to greasy luster as well. These factors would lead to the extensive use of chloritic beads as ornaments from prehistoric times. Though the mineral sources of the chlorite beads can be found in central western region of Chungnam and Iwon of Hamnam, those areas are too distant from the two relic sites. Instead, chlorite ores commonly occur as altered products in wall rock alteration zone of every hydrothermal deposit. Therefore, it is probable that raw materials of chlorite were supplied from neighboring hydrothermal environment rather than far deposits. The result needs further study to verify raw material provenance interpretation, supply, manufacture and distribution on the basis of archaeological points of view.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.39
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• pp.39-58
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• 2006

This study reviews recent shell midden studies in Korea. With more interest in biological materials, recent shell midden studies have attempted to reconstruct palaeoenvironment, and understand subsistence economy, the formation processes and function of sites and past culture. Especially, one of the major topics in prehistoric Korean shell midden studies is the transitional process from hunter-gatherer to farmer. To solve these questions related with shell middens, new sampling strategies and excavation techniques have been adopted. Analytical methods combined with scientifical technologies also have been introduced to shell middle studies. These methods indude stable isotope analyses(Oxygen isotope and Carbon and Nitrogen isotope analyses) and growth-line analysis, etc.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.299-306
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• 2019

We estimated the provenance of the obsidian artifacts from Samgeori site at Yeoncheon, one of the prehistoric sites in South Korea. Pyroxene microlites are of hedenbergite to augite compositions, and intergrown and/or overgrown with Fe-oxides showing poikilitic texture. Major oxides contents for the matrix of the obsidian artifacts exhibit a narrow compositional range, especially SiO₂ contents being 73.0~75.5 wt.% of acidic rhyolitic composition. Also, rare earth element (REE) contents are relatively constant in the obsidian artifacts, and the chondrite-normalized REE patterns show a strong Eu negative anomaly. These mineralogical and geochemical features of the Samgeori obsidian artifacts were compared with those from both the Baekdusan obsidians and Japanese Kyushu obsidians which have been thought to be two major obsidian provenances around South Korea. It is suggested that the Samgeori obsidian artifacts were possibly originated from the Baekdusan obsidians.