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The East Sea is surrounded by South and North Koreas, Russia and Japan. Today, the sea is a venue where the four countries' mutually-beneficial exchanges and strategic conflicts take place. At the center are Korea's Dokdo islets and Ulleungdo. As an archeologist, I see there are two most fascinating things about Ulleungdo. First, the sheer sizes and numbers of ancient tombs are disproportionate to the size and topographical conditions of the island. Second, the fact that there are no archeological data discovered except for the ones that are believed to belong to Silla Dynasty which is assumed to have ruled the island for 350 years. When based solely on relics, it can be concluded that it was virtually a desert island before General Yi Sabu conquered the island which was then-called Usanguk in 512 and after the construction of tombs was halted.

If so, why did the people of the Silla Dynasty go all the way to the remote desert island and build so many tombs? Why did they keep ties with the island during the period? What were the exchanges including goods trade between the mainland and the Ulleungdo and how should we approach to the ties? In a broader sense, can the relation be interpreted in the context of politics involving Silla, Goguryeo, Japan and Balhae? Of course, these questions are hard to answer, and this book intends to lay the foundation for the quest to seek the answers.

Laying a Foundation for Understanding of Silla's Archeological Data on Ulleungdo

Among all the archeological data found in the island, the focus is on ancient earthware in this book. In addition to being the most discovered data in Ulleungdo, earthware is deemed to be the primary data to understand exchanges with the mainland, residents' production and consumption and the time when tombs were constructed. Unfortunately, however, no reliable chronological record exists on material data representing the period between the beginning of the sixth century and the unified Silla. This is considered to be a major flaw in the unified Silla archeology and causes difficulties in grasping the changes in material data of the Ulleungdo. To understand archeological data of Ulleungdo in the context of the Silla Dynasty, it is crucial to establish chronological records and to grasp regional differences first.

Chronological records of the earthware from later years of the Silla Dynasty are a research subject in this book, and they are based on the data collected from major archeological sites of the dynasty. The biggest challenge facing chronological recording of earthware from later years of the kingdom in comparison to the earlier years is the virtual absence of proper data with which simultaneous burial can be identified.

Since the culture of massive tombs faded out and the structure of them changed in the later years of the dynasty, archeological recording of earthware, especially burial accessories, should be different for the period from the mid sixth century to the unified Silla era. We took a completely new approach to existing data and conducted archeological recording. As a result, we identified how main earthware models evolved and how patterns and designs changed.

A large quantity of earthware was excavated from graves in Ulleungdo. Many of them were vases mostly used by upper class people. Also, reddish brown earthware for everyday purposes made with substandard materials and gray-colored earthware made of quality materials were found. The mixture needs to be addressed from earthware production and distribution point of view and provides an explanation for the relation between the mainland Silla and Ulleungdo.

This book intended to look into production techniques and place of origin for reddish brown and gray earthware based on 64 pieces of earthware excavated from four sites in Ulleungdo. Here, what deserves more attention from a production technique aspect is the fact that a certain region's diachronic continuity was identified in terms of technique. This shall be explained in conjunction with the characteristics of the group of people who manufactured and used earthware in Ulleungdo.

Like other regions, Ulleungdo became a part of Silla's territory. At a certain point in the early sixth century, a unique form of grave and Silla earthware was introduced to Ulleungdo. Further research shall be conducted to see what differences can be found in comparison with the earthware and graves in other parts of the dynasty. By doing so, a viable explanation will be available for Ulleungdo's archeological stance where tomb construction became flourish from the mid sixth century when the culture faded out in other parts of Silla.

Strategic Base to Expand Silla's Dominance in the East Sea

This book intends to review how the Silla Dynasty governed the Ulleungdo from an ecological-geographic perspective. It is assumed that residents of Ulleungdo were not able to survive if they had been isolated from the mainland, considering its distance from the land and steep topography. That is why the fact that tombs of massive sizes were constructed over 350 years spanning from the early sixth century to the early ninth century is very unique from an island ecology perspective. And the earthware, copper tubes and horse tools supplied in massive quantities testifies that the Silla Dynasty considered the Ulleungdo a strategically important location.

Based on collected archeological evidences, this book makes the following assumptions. First, Silla people including a few upper class citizens moved to the Ulleungdo after the conquest of General Yi Sabu and formed a social hierarchy with the island's natives, if existed. Second, the island was supplied with various materials including earthware through continuous and regular exchanges with the land during the later years of three kingdoms and entire period of the unified Silla. Third, all these took place because Silla needed the island whether for supply of local products or for a strategic base.

In sum, this book infers that the conquest by General Yi Sabu was more than about territory expansion or local product supplies and Silla had a motive to secure its dominance in the East Sea at a time when no other country in the Northeast Asia paid attention to the sea, willing to advance into the Ulleungdo, which was distant from the mainland and lacked resources.