TThe objective of this thesis is to study the distinctive features of the Mahan pottery culture with an analysis of the double-ear pottery vessels of the Proto-Three Kingdoms Period.
The double-ear pottery vessels of the Proto-Three Kingdoms Period ...
TThe objective of this thesis is to study the distinctive features of the Mahan pottery culture with an analysis of the double-ear pottery vessels of the Proto-Three Kingdoms Period.
The double-ear pottery vessels of the Proto-Three Kingdoms Period have been discovered in the ancient territory of Mahan, including Gyeonggi, Chungcheong and Jeolla provinces.
The double-ear pottery vessels are divided into two groups by their bottom shape - the flat-bottomed and the round-bottomed ones. Their spatial distribution suggests that the flat-bottomed double-ear pots tend to be unearthed on the seashore or in the lower valleys of major rivers, while the round-bottomed ones tend to be excavated in the inland or the middle valleys of major rivers. However, a more detailed analysis can present a new understanding of the temporal and spatial differences between the flat-bottomed and the round-bottomed double-ear pottery vessels.
After a detailed analysis of the characteristics of the double-ear pots, three distinctive areas of distribution are recognized: the Geum River Valley, southern West Coast area, and the Youngsan River Valley. Each area contains different types and temporal and spatial variations of the double-ear pottery vessels.
First, the characteristics of the flat-bottomed double-ear pottery vessels can be summarized as the following.
The flat-bottomed pot with double ears and without separate rim first appeared in the lower Geum River valley in the early third century. However, more diverse types of flat-bottomed pots, including those with angular shoulder, appeared in the upper Geum River valley and the inland area of Southern Chungcheong province during the late third century.
In the southern West Coast area, the flat-bottomed double-ear pots with angular shoulder were popular, but those of the late third and early fourth century that are discovered further to the south tend to be relatively short in height.
In the lower Youngsan River Valley, the double-ear pots tend to have a curvilinear neck and bottom, but in the middle and upper valley areas the pots appear to be either relatively short in height or with angular shoulder during the middle and late fourth century.
Next, spatial and temporal characteristics of the round-bottomed double-ear pottery vessels may be summarized as the following
The round-bottomed pot with globular body and flaring mouth appeared in the lower Geum River valley in the first half of the third century, but the body tends to be elongated in the middle valley in the first half of the fourth century. In all, the number of the elongated egg-shaped body type is the highest, thus making it the most typical.
The round-bottomed pot has not been discovered in the southern West Coast area.
In the lower Youngsan River valley, the egg-shaped body type was popular, whereas the globular body type was more numerous in the middle river valley during the middle and late fourth century. In sum, the most typical round-bottomed pot of this area is the globular body type with upright rim.
This study shows that different shapes and types of the double-ear pottery vessels were used in different spatial areas and temporal phases of the Proto-Three Kingdoms Period. It suggests that the pottery culture of Mahan was indirectly influenced by the contemporary political, social, and cultural factors.