Archaeological Features for Iron Production of the Sixth to-Seventh Centuries Excavated in Kimhae, Kyŏngsang Nam-do
Relatively large-scale iron production archaeological features have been unearthed at a road construction site in Ugye-ri, Sangdong-myŏn, in Kimhae.
The Gyeongnam Institute of Cultural Properties reported that iron slag, cinders (debris), charcoal, burnt sand, and iron ore were found in a large pit feature for a building of the sixth to seventh centuries, through the investigation into local road construction section between Najŏn-ri, Saengnim-myŏn to Mae-ri, Sangdong-myŏn.
The investigation team observed that the scale of the facilities for iron production was large since four charcoal kilns, which are assumed to have been used for making fine charcoal, have been unearthed along with other features.
Researchers are expecting to secure archaeological features to verify the system of iron manufacture in the Kimhae area through conducting an elements analysis of excavated iron objects that possibly shows a link between those and the Tongch’ŏk iron mine in Mae-ri, Sangdong-myŏn.
At this site pit features for buildings, ditch-shaped features, burials, agricultural remains (dry-fields) of the Unified Silla Period (668-935), and burials of the Chosŏn period (1392-1910) were also found.
Kimhae City officials put a high valuation on the iron production features to show the fact that Kaya’s iron-making technique had been continued by the Unified Silla after the fall of Kŭmgwan, one of the Kaya polities, located at modern Kimhae.
(Seoul—Yonhap News) Reported by Choi Byongkil(Choi21@yna.co.kr)
13 October 2010.
A newspaper article (in Korean) is here.