This study analyzes the road vestiges excavated and researched
in Gyeongju area, which was the royal place during ancient Silla
Kingdom in order to check the structure of the road system during that
period. Though there are many road vestiges found in...
This study analyzes the road vestiges excavated and researched
in Gyeongju area, which was the royal place during ancient Silla
Kingdom in order to check the structure of the road system during that
period. Though there are many road vestiges found in Gyeongju area,
most of them were interpreted as the roads made during Silla Kingdom
and Unified Silla Kingdom.
Most of the researchers have not focused on the sequence of the times
on the study of ancient roads but has limited the study on the Bangrije
of Silla to the road made in Unified Silla kingdom. This kind of research
trend led to the result of interpreting the time based on only the soil
layer and remains made in Unified Silla Kingdom even though they are
only the visible aspects of the remains.
The author judged that it was wrong to judge the timing of the
excavated relics based on the excavated relics. The author believes that
it is not right to judge the length of use of the road just by its
appearance, as the soil layer of the road has been severely disturbed
and the upper floors have been damaged recently. In addition, most road
markings must be connected to the boundary of the research area
before they can be connected to the surrounding site.
Once the road is constructed, it can be used consistently through
improvements and repairs if necessary. Based on this, we analyzed 64
roads found in Gyeongju. The road remains estimated to have been
made in the Unified Silla period and the traces considered to have been
used during the Joseon era were compared with other data.
In addition, they compared the directions of the roads in the ancient
maps and the modern maps produced during the Japanese Empire State
and saw if they were related to each other. They then compared with
aerial photographs of Gyeongju, which were taken in 1954, to identify
changes in terrain and roads leading to modern times.
As a result, the road and surrounding remains whose artifacts can
span up to Joseon Kingdom were found out and the roads were
confirmed which connected to the main area located in Gyeongju area
by period. This means that a road was either used for a period only or
continuously used at the new space as time goes by.
These results confirm that there shall be new research on the road
vestiges of many roads which has been researched. However. as shown
in the fact that even a confirmed road vestige can be connected to the
research and excavation site. So, the total interpretation shall not be
made with a part of the remains only. Likewise, the study has limitation
as it cannot escape the assumption to some extent. Notwithstanding this,
for the study of the period of road and how long it lasted, it is
necessary to always make the comprehensive comparison and review of
the related data.