Triangulation proves Geum brocade with the horizontal loom of Gojoseon

Abstract

Geum (錦, Jin) is a jacquard brocade silk fabric (or doubled~tripled woven) with multi-colored warps. Because patterns are shown by colored yarns of overlapping warp layers, it is dense and stiff, making bulky silhouette of layerlook suitable in cool or dry weather. This fabric is completely different from the drape and lightweight low-density plain weave of ‘China silk’. KyungGeum (經錦, warp direction color yarns) requires a high level of weaving technology, different from WiGeum(緯錦, weft direction color yarns). Geums excavated in Louran and Niya of Xinjiang Autonomous Region, Astana, Pazyrik and Noin-Ula have the pattern of animal flock style of Northern people. The purpose of this study is to find out who wove these Geum fabrics by the triangulation of literatures, relics and loom technology. The pattern was quite complex, so a horizontal and rectangular type of loom or a special loom ‘JeHwa-Ru(製華樓)’ were required. Since the ‘Warring States Period(戰國時代)’ of China, all Han (漢) looms were oblique looms with one heald and KyungGeum production was impossible with these looms. The same is true for vertical looms in Central Asia. Also, the Odes(詩經) and the Shujing(書經) told that barbarian and bandits had weaved KyungGeum. Geum as the special products of Goguryeo and Silla it was exported to China and Japan. Therefore it is reasonable to regard the KyungGeum relics of Niya and of Louran as those from Gojoseon, Goguryeo, Silla(Seres) of Korea, as a result of comprehensive examining the year of production, historical documents, pattern symbolism and loom types.