사천 늑도유적과 해상교섭 네트워크의 형성 = Neukdo and the Formation of Maritime Negotiation Networks

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This study reinterprets the Sacheon Neukdo site from the perspective of ancient maritime exchange and aims to clarify its structural character and historical significance within the socio-economic and political transformations of the Byeonhan coastal sphere between the 3rd century BCE and the 1st century CE. Moving beyond descriptive typology, it applies analytical frameworks developed in Western archaeology—spatial theory, social memory, the politics of negotiation, and the port lifecycle model—to understand Neukdo not as a temporary trading venue but as an institutionalized port of exchange. Formed in the 3rd century BCE, the site reached its zenith in the 1st century BCE and entered a phase of decline in the 1st century CE.
The establishment and subsequent interruption of burial areas, along with increases in mobile and short-term populations, reflect shifts in community composition and the reconfiguration of social memory. Spatial analysis indicates that Neukdo functioned as an intermediary hub and liminal interface within a wider maritime network. In the 1st century BCE, a stratified social structure emerged, consisting of elite representatives, artisans and merchants, and laboring groups, and trade was sustained not only by the exchange of goods but through norms, ritual practices, and trust-based negotiation. Furthermore, Neukdo corresponds to the “transfer” stage in the port lifecycle, demonstrating a functional shift within the broader Northeast Asian maritime system. This study highlights the value of integrating global theoretical frameworks with archaeological data from the southern Korean peninsula, and offers a comprehensive interpretation of the mechanisms and transformations underlying early maritime networks and negotiated relationships in Northeast Asia.