The purpose of this study is to investigate the characteristics of the settlement of Songjuk-ri, Gimcheon in the Neolithic Age. The location of the settlement, the structure of space, the means of living, houses and manufacturing facilities, which hav...
The purpose of this study is to investigate the characteristics of the settlement of Songjuk-ri, Gimcheon in the Neolithic Age. The location of the settlement, the structure of space, the means of living, houses and manufacturing facilities, which have been applied to the settlement, are analyzed as the subjects of the study. Furthermore, based on the analysis on the structural arrangement in the partition of space, the style of Songjuk-ri settlement, and earthenware-kiln, we have compared it with settlements in other areas in the Neolithic Age to find out whether those factors have been reflected. Research in China and Japan in the Neolithic Age has been applied to this study. One of the main purposes of the study is to re-evaluate the relics of the settlement, which have been fragmentarily studied and reported, by investigating the settlement of Songjuk-ri, which can give a general idea of the settlement, considering that very few relics remain for the study of the settlement in the Neolithic Age.
The result of analysis on the location of the settlement and the structure of space, the first subject of the study, has shown that people in Songjuk-ri formed their settlements with a plan when they chose the location according to the natural environment, arranged the space for settlement, and set sites for the residential area and earthenware-kiln. The location chosen for the settlement satisfied the best conditions for people to live: being naturally protected by mountains in the back and water in the front, nice and warm and protected against wind blowing from the valley in winter, easy to catch clams and fish, handy to get clean water from a river nearby, and available to get food and to hunt, and surrounded by mountains and hills. These favorable natural conditions were considered when creating the space of the settlement. Space for producing food was secured by being surrounded by mountains, rivers and flood land nearby. The settlement was divided into residential space, a main area for community members in their daily lives, and manufacturing space, an area for making tools. Each space was also divided for the convenience of life. Compound and systematic structure were applied to the residential space: parallel arrangement and expanded structure between residences, separate arrangement of outdoor storage and uncovered land exclusively for residential space, and the arrangement of a public square and community space. Space for the production of earthenware was separated from the residential space in order to protect residential space from fire. In the process of expanding the residential area, space for the production of earthenware was moved and some earthenware-kilns were abandoned. Places to manufacture stoneware, a common working area, and a large public residence were placed at the edge of the public square, the center of residential space. This shows the social structure of the working system. Based on the results of analysis, the basic structure of space applied to the settlement of Songjuk-ri have been divided into spaces for residential and for manufacturing earthenware. This basic structure of space can also be found in the relics of the early era in Osan-ri in Yangyang, Munam-ri in Goseong, and Amsa-dong in Seoul; in the middle of the era in Jigyeong-ri in Yangyang, Chodang-dong in Gangneung, Jingeuneul in Jinan, and Sangchon-ri in Jinju; and also in the latter part of the era in Bonggye-ri in Hapcheon. Thus, we have found that the structure of space was applied regardless of period and area.
The results of analysis on the means of living, the second subject, has shown that hunting, fishing, collecting and farming were the means of living in Songjuk-ri, which was located in the southern part of inland. We can assume that abundant meat and vegetables could be provided by mountains nearby, seafood and clean water could be supplied from numerous streams and rivers, and that the primary stage of farming could be available in flood land surrounded by natural environment, including the temperate deciduous tree zone. Comparing the relics from the settlement of Songjuk-ri with those from other area in the Neolithic Age, we have also concluded that people in the area have established a strategy of living by developing various skills to get food.
In the results of analysis on the residence and manufacturing facility, the third subject of the study, we have set up a "Songjuk-ri style residence," representing the model of a residence of Songjuk-ri, and have proved the reality of unknown earthenware of the Neolithic Age in Korea by analyzing the earthenware-kiln of Songjuk-ri. The important characteristics of the settlement in Songjuk-ri are as follows: the large scale of the settlement, a flat shape with rounded off edge, along the direction the river flows from the south to the north, uncovered land in the middle of the residence, vertical structure of walls, a south-facing entrance, and residential style separated from outdoor food storage and outdoor uncovered land which was used exclusively for cooking. In the central and southern area of inland in the same period, distinct characteristics can be found in the styles of residence, locations and scales of the settlements. There are two different types of residence: the Songjuk-ri style of settlement was located in flood land in the middle of the river and established on the certain structure of arrangement of space based on the settlement of community with blood ties. The Daechun-ri style of settlement was located on hills and had an independent residential style centering around a nuclear family. These two styles of residence showed significant differences in choosing locations, the scale of settlements, and the types of residences. However, similarity can be found in the type of excavated articles, the scale of residences, and some characteristics. We have understood that both existed inland in the same period and that they developed according to natural environment, the scale of the settlement, and the structure of the social system.
We have analyzed systematic characteristics in the earthenware-kiln in Songjuk-ri, and properties of earthenware manufacture at high temperature. The type of kiln in the Neolithic Age was found to be an exposed outdoor kiln with piled stones, supported by stones inside an at least three-meter-high round hole, all characteristics of earthenware in the Bronze Age. According to the scale and number of kilns, it is obvious that they produced a large quantity of earthenware at one time. By considering the amount of time to produce earthenware, three hours, the estimation of the amount of firewood used to achieve a high temperature and the amount of work in transportation of firewood, it is also obvious that this was a common working facility in the community. In order to prove the reality of the earthenware, several preconditions are suggested. First, separated space from residential area was needed for the kiln since there was a high possibility of fire at the kiln. Second, general scale of uncovered land and large facilities enduring 550~900℃ were needed. Third, overall structure should have been designed to maintain a high temperature by well ventilated air and to hold earthenware in a stable position by filling the kiln with enough stones.
We have searched for earthenware-kiln satisfying the conditions mentioned above. 33 sites have been found in 10 relics such as Songjuk-ri, Osan-ri in Yangyang, Munam-ri in Goseong, Amsa-dong in Seoul, Misa-ri in Hanam, Jigyeong-ri in Yangyang, Chodang-dong in Gangneung, Bonggye-ri in Hapcheon, Wonchon-ri in Sunchang, and Jingeuneul in Jinan. The similarity in these sites has been found to be that they were established separately from residential space.
From the analysis, we have reached the following conclusions. The settlement of Songjuk-ri was formed in the process of a growing population, expanding settlement, and enlarging size of residence, which were changes that occurred in the central and southern inland during the Neolithic Age. By the time of the middle era, about 200 people gathered and formed a certain settlement based on blood ties and established a community centering around a big family. People obtained food from hunting, fishing, collecting, and farming. They worked together to make stoneware and earthenware. Since they were settled down in one of the branch streams of the Nakdong River located in the southern inland, they shared cultural information by contacting with various other relics on the western and eastern sea coasts, and upper area of the Kum River and crossing the low area of the Nakdong River and Baikdu mountains.