뉴스레터

The beginning of an archaeologist’s journey

  In Korea’s ancient history, researching groups that existed along the East Coast and Maritime Province not only lacks literary records but is also not easy to access materials from China and North Korea. Professor In-wook Kang presents archaeological excavation data from the Maritime Province of Russia as a clue to solving these difficulties. The results of the research so far were announced through the book 『Okjeo Culture Viewed through Archeology』 (Northeast Asian History Foundation, 2008), and the newly accumulated research results were included in 『Okjeo and Eupru - Hidden Stories of Northern Peoples in Our History』. Unlike existing research books, it is described easily and conveniently, so it can be said to be a book that connects the story of Okjeo and Eupru with the general public through the study of archaeology.

  The movie, “The Dig’, which is based on the story of the excavation of the ruins of Sutton Hoo in England, features people rolling around in the dirt and searching for meaning. They are archaeologists, who connect the previous generation with the next generation.

  As an archaeologist, the author rewrites two regions, Okjeo and Eupru, which were not properly covered in Korean ancient history, using various materials obtained through excavations. The journey into Okjeo and Eupru begins by using archeology to overcome the limitations of the brief data that even the original text of “The Records of Three Kingdoms” does not exceed 1,000 characters in length.

A vivid picture of life conveyed through archaeological materials

  The author points out that the history of the northern people in our history does not simply refer to the geographical locations of the northern part of the Korean Peninsula and Manchuria but refers to a variety of cultures resulting from differences in geographical environments. In ancient times, there were no countries or borders as we think of them today, and it is difficult to establish the story that ‘Korean history starts from here and ends there.’ It is necessary to forget the borders and nationalities of modern culture and look at Korean history and its surroundings from a macro perspective.

  The book features a variety of archaeological materials accumulated through joint excavations between Korea and Russia. In the ruins of Okjeo, represented by Krownovka, the Okjeo people are depicted installing ondol(floor heating system) to overcome the cold, and the understanding of the shape of their tombs was further improved by citing examples of indigenous people of Far East Siberia, such as the Evenki and Nanai people. In addition, through the currency and bronze swords discovered at the historical site, we can see that Okjeo grew through active trade at the time, and the author points out that Okjeo’s ‘Brought daughter-in-law system’ was also paid for with ‘money’.

  In addition, among the culture of Eupru, that is, Poltse culture, some aspects that were difficult to accurately understand from records alone also represented the results of a recent ethnographic survey of Paleo-Asian peoples For example, in the cold winter, figures entering and leaving the house through the roof or having a bathroom inside the house are revealed as if a mystery has been solved.

  Through archaeological data, the author depicts in a much more colorful way that has been known so far, how the Okjeo and Eupru people overcame extreme climate stress, adapted to the difficult life of farming, and formed an axis of northern history. In this process, what archaeological research, based on the premise of ‘death’ in the past, was ultimately trying to uncover was the ‘vivid lives’ of people made me feel dramatic.

How are Okjeo and Eupru connected to us today?

  As we reach the end of this exciting journey, we wonder how these two regions are connected to who we are today. The author points out the partiality of South Korean archeology and says that Okjeo and Eupru were the center of exchange connecting with northern Eurasia via the Baekdudaegan Mountain Range. And today, he says that the Eurasian Railway passes through this land of Okjeo and Eupru. It was a moment when these two regions, which felt like unknown worlds, became the present, not the past.

  In the future, if we look at Korea’s ancient history from a macroscopic perspective through the study of archeology, I think we will be able to see a much more diverse picture than we see now. Above all, I hope that there will be more ‘archeology communicators’, people who, like this book’s role, connect and communicate with the public and the world of archeology, which is difficult and feels like the domain of experts.