오봉산 고분군과 함창 고녕가야(古寧加耶)의 관계 = A The Relationship between the Obongsan Burial Cluster and Hamchang Gonyong Gaya (古寧加耶)

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This study re-evaluates the historical identity of Hamchang Gonyŏng Gaya (古寧加耶) by systematically integrating archaeological evidence from the Obongsan burial cluster, documentary records, and local toponymic traditions. Despite long-standing assumptions that Hamchang lacked a substantive Gaya presence, recent investigations challenge this view.
Since the initiation of the “Gaya History Restoration Project” in 2017, more than 600 tumuli have been identified across Obongsan; however, formal excavations have been limited to the Sinhŭng-ri and Ian-ri clusters. Field surveys conducted along the Obongsan ridgeline reveal a characteristic Gaya mortuary pattern—large mounded tombs arranged linearly at the crest and dense concentrations of medium- to small-sized graves extending down its slopes. Although diagnostic Gaya artifacts have not yet been recovered, this absence is plausibly attributable to repeated looting and the extremely limited scope of excavation rather than the nonexistence of Gaya activity.
A critical review of textual sources further reinforces the likelihood of a Gonyŏng Gaya affiliation. The Samguk sagi identifies Hamchang as “originally the state of Gonyŏng Gaya,” while the Samguk yusa explicitly lists Gonyŏng Gaya within its five-Gaya framework. Medieval gazetteers from the Koryŏ and Chosŏn periods consistently preserve the toponym “Gonyŏng (古寧),” and a stele attributed to the founding king of Gonyŏng Gaya was reportedly discovered in 1592. Together, these records indicate a continuous recognition of Hamchang as the historical center of Gonyŏng Gaya.
By correlating the archaeological landscape with enduring textual and toponymic traditions, this study argues that the historical position of Hamchang Gonyŏng Gaya deserves substantive reassessment. As a foundational step toward reconstructing the overlooked inland Gaya sphere, the paper calls for comprehensive excavation, refined chronological analysis, and critical re-examination of written sources in future research.