뉴스레터

This research project was designed to examine the significance of the East Sea and Ulleungdo in Korean history and the manner by which they were featured in Korean history. Korea is surrounded on all three sides by the sea. It is a well known fact that this geographical condition has played an important role in the unfolding of Korean history. However, the East Sea, toward which Korea has the longest coastline, and Ulleungdo, a lonely island in the East Sea, have also played central roles in the formation and development of Korean culture.

Nevertheless, research on the East Sea and Ulleungdo falls way short of their importance. The reason has been the lack of data. However, with the recent discovery of written data—e.g., the Silla Stele of Jungseong-ri, Pohang—as well as data collected through precision ground surveys and excavations of the East Sea and Ulleungdo, a sizeable volume of valuable data has accumulated. There was hope that if the data was properly organized and thoroughly analyzed, it could provide a glimpse into a facet of the region's history and culture. This is how we got the courage to embark on this research project.

In our book, we wanted to pay special attention to the people living in the East Sea coastal region during the Three Kingdoms period. It was these people who had left their traces on the archaeological findings and epigraphs we are discovering today, but there has been little interest in them in the study of the region.

Survey of earthenware, tombs, agriculture and fishing, weapons, and system of rule

"Chapter 1: The Silla Earthenware Culture in the Yeongam East Sea Coastal Region" is an analysis of earthenware, which comprises the biggest bulk of the archaeological data discovered in the region. First, the Silla-style earthenware pieces found in each group of tombs were organized into chronological order. Then, we focused on when Silla-style earthenware emerged in each area. It was around the beginning of the 5th century CE that Silla earthenware appeared in Ulsan and Pohang. Further north, in Yeongdeok and Uljin, Silla-style earthenware made their appearance around the mid-5th century CE.

"Chapter 2: The Three Kingdoms Period Tomb Culture in the Yeongnam East Sea Coastal Region" looks at the geographical distribution of the tombs from the Three Kingdoms Period in the region. The highest concentration of tombs was found by Chogok Stream in Heunghae-eup; by the northern end of Naeng Stream, which flows into the Yeongil Bay; and the lower Heoya River area in Ulsan. Of note is that there are many cairned wooden-chambered tombs imitating the characteristic tomb structure found in Gyeongju. This is indicative of the region's close relations with central Silla.

"Chapter 3: Agriculture and Fishing Culture in the Yeongnam East Sea Coastal Region" analyzes the iron farming and fishing tools and equipment found at Three Kingdoms sites in the region and attempts to recreate the subsistence economy of the period. The type and shape of the iron farming tools are very similar to those of Silla. Tombs from which fishing equipment have been found are located near harbors. In most of these tombs, weapons and farming tools have also been excavated. This seems to demonstrate that the heads of costal communities with harbors had control of both agriculture and fishing, an arrangement that must have encouraged extensive mutual exchanges with the surrounding regions.

"Chapter 4: The Military Culture of the East Sea Coastal Region as Evidenced by Iron Weaponry" analyzes the iron weapons excavated from Three Kingdoms Period tombs in order to understand the people of the region and their relationship with the Silla central government that tried to rule over them. The center of weapons production and ownership was Gyeongju, the capital of Silla. As Silla grew into an ancient kingdom, it monopolized the production of ironware and distributed them to neighboring powers as needed.

Based on historical records, "Chapter 5: Silla's Advance into and Method of Rule over the East Sea Coastal Region in the 5th and 6th Centuries" examines how Silla made inroads into all corners of the Yeongnam East Sea coastal region in the 5th and 6th centuries and how it ruled over the region. From the mid-3th century to the 5th century, Silla did not rule directly over the region; rather, it adopted a method of indirect rule via the heads of the region's small powers. It has been found that it was only after the 6th century that Silla dispatched regional officials and exercised direct rule founded on law and ordinances.

Hoping for further studies on the tombs and regional governance of the East Sea area

In sum, the said research project determined that many small powers with an ironware culture had emerged in the Yeongnam East Sea Coastal region during the Three Kingdoms Period. However, they were soon subjugated by Silla. While they maintained their autonomy in the beginning, they gradually lost it to Silla and were eventually subjected to Silla's direct rule. From Silla's standpoint, the region was of economic and geostrategic importance as it was a border region and could provide access to sea routes. That is why Silla seems to have assumed relatively stronger rule over the region than over the interior regions; Silla could not tolerate the existence of regional powers building large-scale tombs in such an important area.

The research findings were organized into five papers, which were compiled and published as a single book. There may be some redundancy in content as well as contradictions among the findings of the different authors. This may be due to the fact that the studies each focused on a different set of source materials. This may be construed as a limitation of the project, but this can also be regarded as the project's strength. Indentifying the points of convergence and divergence between the individual studies and analyzing the causes can serve as a valuable starting point of further research.

As we were conducting the project, we were aware that the study on the tomb culture and method of governance of the East Sea coastal region had only just begun. As basic research findings accumulate, we will get an increasingly clearer picture of the characteristic traits of the culture of the East Sea coastal region in the ancient era, the local people who created such a culture, and the conditions in which these people found themselves. In short, I hope we will come to get a better grasp of the Yeongnam East Sea coastal region in the Three Kingdoms Period from diverse viewpoints.