The Chronology and Development of Bronze Age Sites in the Seomjin River-Tamjin River Basin

Abstract

As excavations have been conducted continuously in the Seomjin-Tamjin River basin since the 2010s, it has become possible to discuss the distribution, density, and chronology of Bronze Age sites throughout the region, away from research focused on the dolmen culture in a specific region. In addition, recently, with the discovery of dwellings and tombs in the Early Age and material culture corresponding to the Early-Middle Ages and the transition period of Middle-Early Iron Ages, it was possible to comprehensively examine the development of Bronze Age culture in the Seomjin-Tamjin River basin. The purpose of this paper is to organize the distribution and characteristics of the remains of the Seomjin-Tamjin River basin, and to explain the spatio-temporal development of the Bronze Age culture in this area based on the structure of dwellings and tombs, the types and shapes of Mumun pottery, and the analysis of excavated artifacts. For detailed analysis, the study area was divided into the upper, middle, and lower regions of the Seomjin River, the Boseong River Basin, and the upper and lower regions of the Tamjin River. As a result of the analysis, continuous occupation or sequential development process from early to middle period was not confirmed in the settlement and tombs in the Seomjin-Tamjin River basin. In other words, in the early period, the Misari type and Yeoksam-dong type were sporadically distributed in this area, showing a spatio-temporal disconnection. In the middle period, as material culture from various regions, such as the upper Geum River, Nakdong River basin, Yeongsan River basin, and the southern coast area, flowed into and diffused into this area, it became a transition zone where various cultural characteristics were mixed.