This paper focuses on roof tile kilns in the Yeongnam region from the Koryo Dynasty. With Gyeongju, the Yeongnam region served as the central area of ancientKorea from the Silla dynasty in the Three Kingdoms period to the Unified Silla period.
Hence,...
This paper focuses on roof tile kilns in the Yeongnam region from the Koryo Dynasty. With Gyeongju, the Yeongnam region served as the central area of ancientKorea from the Silla dynasty in the Three Kingdoms period to the Unified Silla period.
Hence, it could be presumed that many of the techniques used to produce roof tiles and kilns were developed primarily in the Yeongnam region. This serves as an important factor to research on changes in kiln structures as kilns were an integral part of manufacturing technology in the Yeongnam region from the Three Kingdoms period to the Joseon Dynasty. However, existing research is based on roof tile kilns in Gyeongju, and only focuses on the period between Three Kingdoms and Unified Silla. As a result, there are difficulties in researching the transition process of kiln building techniques in the later period. This paper aims to contribute to research on roof tile kilns by studying roof tile kilns in the Yeongnam region from the Koryo Dynasty and identifying the development processes and changes of kilns that had continued since ancient times.
The following research method was used: Among Koryo dynasty tile kilns in the Yeongnam region, those kilns determined as having an absolute age through absolute dating techniques such as accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) and archaeomagnetic dating were categorized by topological classification. Each kiln structure was analyzed and the following significant structural features related to the combustion chamber in the period were chosen: the floor plan of the combustion chamber, the longitudinal section of the fuel intake‐combustion chamber, and the cross‐section of the combustion chamber.
In addition, this paper sought to reduce errors in reliability of the absolute ages of roof tiles as much as possible by analyzing excavated roof tiles and examining associated relics, whose ages could be estimated. Then, different phases were established according to the structural changes of kilns, and relics whose absolute age had not been determined were categorized into these different phases chronologically. In addition, this paper intended to identify causes for changes in roof tile kilns by examining the social aspects of the Koryo dynasty.
The following are the findings of this study: Tile kilns in the Yeongnam region during the Koryo dynasty were categorized into five periods. Kilns in the first period(the end of the Unified Silla period to the end of the tenth century) mostly consisted of combustion chambers with a linear floor plan, with a minority being semi‐circular or trapezoidal. Excavated relics showed spiral designs, fish scale patterning and latticing, and single patterns were more common than Complex patterns. In particular, spiral designs were impressed with ᗕ patterns.
The second period consisted of kilns from the 11th century. The floor plans of
combustion chambers of kilns from this period varied, but rectangular floor plans began to arise as a distinct feature. Mi-gu tiles and distinct relics to Koryo such as Ilhwimoon roof‐end tiles also appeared in this period. Complex patterns become more frequent in lanterns, and floral and plant patterns begun to take place as popular designs. This was the period in which the manufacturing techniques of roof tiles were becoming standardized in the Koryo dynasty.
The third period encapsulated kilns from the 12th century. The floor plans of
combustion chambers in this period were semi‐circular, oblong and trapezoidal. The floor plans of firing chambers in this period were also diverse, and a fuel intake were increasingly built on flat ground, with the actual kilns built underground. The remains of To-su roof tiles disappear, and Mi-gu tiles are ordinarily the relics excavated from this period. This is also the period in which the most amount of geometrical and Complex patterns are discovered. It is understood that this diversity in roof tile patterns was made possible as the emerging class accumulated wealth through commercial and industrial development, and that the designs were developed for the increased number of
Buddhist temples and for the repair and maintenance of existing buildings.
The fourth period is the 13th century. It is notable that the total number of kilns rapidly decreased in this period. It is understood that this period was a ‘blank period’ of kilns, and huge differences in kiln structures and excavated relics before and after this period demonstrate that there were significant changes in the 13th century. As there is almost no data on kilns from the 13th century, it is impossible to identify their features. However, there are social factors which indicate that circumstances in the 13th century were such that roof tile production could not be properly maintained. Uprisings which arose in various places at the end of the 12th century and the corruption of the ruling class caused the lower classes to abandon forced labor. The decline of these lower classes, the dismantling of administrative districts by Choe Chung‐heon’s measures to suppress the rebellions, and the territorial violations by Mongolia made it impossible to proceed with roof tile production.
The end of the 14th century marked the beginning of the Joseon dynasty. Kilns in this period demonstrated great changes in their structures compared to those from previous periods. The majority of the floor plans of the combustion chambers were oblong or semi‐circular, a Stairs facilities could often be found with the side-wall-stairs between the fire box and the combustion chamber; further, the longitudinal sections of the a fuel intake were vertical combustion types. The floor plans of the fire boxes were usually oblong. The only excavated convex roofing tiles were Mi-gu tiles with mostly triangle-Zen-writing and rainbow pattern designs. The enlargement of kiln structures to meet increasing demand for roof tiles for restoration purposes after damage from the wars and different social conditions caused by conflict and Yuan dynasty‐colonial periods alike are likely to have caused these changes in roof tile patterns.