A study on the complexity of the Bronze Age society in the Korean Peninsula from the transition of the tomb structure

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K16869
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Archaeology
• Research Institution: Shimane University
• Principal Investigator: HIRAGORI TATSUYA 島根大学, 学術研究院人文社会科学系, 准教授 (60709145)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 朝鮮半島 / 青銅器時代 / 墳墓構造 / 墓地構造 / 武器形副葬品 / 社会 / 複雑化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Construction of the tomb begins in the former half of early period In the Bronze Age of the Korean Peninsula. The pit burial, stone-cist burial are distributed independently. Construction of a dolmen tomb will begin in the latter half of early period. Along with this, there is a lined graveyard formed by a planned graveyard. A crowd-type cemetery is formed in the former half of late period. It has a collective character. In the latter half of late period, there is a tomb with a huge grave area facility and underground burial. This is a tomb that emphasizes individuality and was built independently. This process means the formation of group graves→influential groups→influential individuals. It can be related to the progress of stratification.
Weapon-shaped burial items (lute-shaped bronze dagger, polished stone dagger) will appear at the beginning of the construction of the burial mound. It makes us assume the existence of a leader as a problem solver in society.

Free Research Field

朝鮮半島青銅器時代文化

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

墳墓資料からみると、朝鮮半島の青銅器時代においては限定された人間が墓を築造でき、青銅器副葬の希少性、武器形副葬品の登場を勘案すれば、社会内における不平等とそれを調整するためのリーダーが存在した。これらの点から後期前半までは平等社会から首長制に移行していく過渡的不平等社会にあり、後期後半には墳墓の構造や墓区構成での突出した個人性、極端化した可視・非可視要素の存在からみてさらに階層化が進み、首長制段階に進入したと考えた。上記のように、墳墓資料からのアプローチによって、社会の複雑化について明らかにした。