국립김해박물관

Ottchil is a traditional Korean lacquer technique that involves applying several layers of lacquer on the surface of a wood product prior to use. It serves a decorative function in that it makes the surface appear smooth and glossy and it also makes the produce more resistant to decay, moisture and heat. Because lacquer trees (Toxicodendron vernicifluum) grew in a limited area and ottchil, a complex process consisting of removing impurities, blending, and application, could only be performed by an expert, lacquered products were rare and valuable back in the day, and only people of a certain class were able to obtain the expensive lacquered items. Lacquer has traditionally been applied directly on a wooden surface, or through a layer of cloth made of ramie or hemp. Other materials that were lacquered included bamboo, earthenware, leather, and metal.

In Byeonhan, a chamber tomb was created by splitting a log in half and carving it out, or by assembling long wooden boards. The first log coffin was about 240cm long, and it was made by splitting the log in half. The tools used to make the log coffin were most likely a flat axe, chisel and awl, considering the traces that remain on the surface. It has also been found that strings were either secured or tied to the coffin to lower it into the ground. In other words, grooves or L-shaped holes were made on the sides of the coffin, and after it was lowered into the ground, it was fixed in place with a wedge. Before the lowering of the coffin, a small oval pit was dug up at the bottom of the grave, and a basket containing a painted sheath, bronze sword or iron sword, spear, iron scythe, Chinese mirror, belt rings, brush and hand knife among other things was placed inside first.

In ancient times, the best way to display one’s status and power was by owning precious objects that could not be easily obtained, such as bronze daggers, bronze mirrors, jade objects, and lacquer-covered objects.

Bronze daggers, often protected by lacquer-covered sheaths, could be used in rituals or as actual weapons. Bronze mirrors were sacred objects that were likely used to show connections with light, the sun, or the stars. The various designs on the backsides of such mirrors can be used to estimate their production date and place of origin. Beads of polished jade or glass (which had been melted and shaped in a mold) were strung together to make necklaces.

In the ruins of Samhan and Gaya, where beads were considered precious, various types of glass and crystal necklaces have been found. Because crystals are very hard, it it was difficult for people back in the day to grind the gemstones into rounded or multifaceted shapes. This crystal necklace excavated from Yangdong-ri in Gimhae is the largest and most beautiful crystal jewelry found on the Korean peninsula.

In ancient times, the best way to display one’s status and power was by owning precious objects that could not be easily obtained, such as bronze daggers, bronze mirrors, jade objects, and lacquer-covered objects.

Bronze daggers, often protected by lacquer-covered sheaths, could be used in rituals or as actual weapons. Bronze mirrors were sacred objects that were likely used to show connections with light, the sun, or the stars. The various designs on the backsides of such mirrors can be used to estimate their production date and place of origin. Beads of polished jade or glass (which had been melted and shaped in a mold) were strung together to make necklaces.

“Attached-rim pottery” (粘土帶土器) was made by attaching a single band of clay around the outer rim of a plain pottery vessel (無文土器). Early examples of attached-rim pottery include black-burnished vessels, mounted vessels, jars with handles, and shallow bowls. On these early examples, the attached band was round (like a tube), but such bands were eventually replaced by bands with a triangular cross-section. The triangular bands remained in use until around the turn of the millennium, when plain pottery was replaced by wajil pottery. This transition occurred in conjunction with other significant political and social changes brought on by the advent of a new iron culture.

During the Samhan Period, neighboring states began interacting with one another more actively, leading to the adoption of diverse cultural elements. Much of this interaction was driven by the production, trade, and use of iron, which became widespread. This period also saw the emergence of a new type of pottery in Byeonhan: wajil pottery, which was made from fine clay, formed on a potter’s wheel, and fired at high temperatures in closed kilns. Produced in this way, wajil pottery was quite porous with relatively thin walls, and was not as hard as the pottery that later appeared in the Three Kingdoms Period. The majority of wajil pottery vessels were jars with a rounded base that were decorated with rope, cord, or checked designs that were pressed or beaten into the surface. The production dates of vessels can be estimated based on the vessel type, production technology, and surface finishing technique.

Excavations have uncovered diverse evidence of international exchange between the ancient states of Korea, China, and Japan. For example, mirrors and coins (e.g., wuzhu and banliang) from China, pottery from the Nangnang Commandery, and Yayoi pottery from Japan have been discovered at sites in Korea, such as Neukdo (Sacheon), Daho-ri (Changwon), Yangdong-ri, and the Hoihyun-ri Shell Midden (Gimhae). These foreign goods were likely acquired in exchange for the iron that Byeonhan produced in abundance. Records of such trade can also be found in ancient texts such as Hou Hanshu (後漢書, Book of the Later Han) and the “Biography of the Eastern Barbarians” section in the “Book of Wei” of Sanguozhi (三國志 魏書 東夷傳, Records of the Three Kingdoms).