Vol. 2 (2008) ISSN 1864-6018 Editor: Barbara SEYOCK |
The Beijing 2008 papers
Panel: Island Archaeology in East Asia Interaction and Isolation (Barbara SEYOCK)
Prehistoric Interaction between the Korean Peninsula and the Japanese
Archipelago through Tsushima and Iki Islands
MIYAMOTO Kazuo 宮本一夫
Dep. of Archaeology, Kyūshū University, Japan
publ. April 2009
Introduction
Tsushima 対馬 and Iki 壱岐 islands are situated along the main route of
prehistoric interaction between southern Korea and northern Kyūshū 九州.
According to the Chinese historical record (Chin.) Weizhi 魏志, the
diplomats of Wei 魏 country in the 3rd century CE reached northern Kyūshū
through these islands from the Korean Peninsula by ship.
In this paper I will elaborate on the changing process of prehistoric
interaction between the southern Korean Peninsula and northern Kyūshū by using
archaeological material from Tsushima and Iki islands, especially the results
of the excavation at Karakami カラカミ site, Iki Island.
 |
Map 1: Location of Iki Island in the Korea Strait. |
Interaction in the Neolithic period
Following the Ice Age, southern Korea and northern Kyūshū were separated
from each other by a sea channel. From the end of the early Jōmon 縄文 period
(5000 BCE), however, the pottery of the two areas reflects increased
interaction between peninsular and island populations. Korean Neolithic
pottery becomes prominent at Tsushima sites from the early to the middle Jōmon
period. Raised linear design pottery (Jap. ryūkisen-mon doki; Kor.
yunggiseon-mun togi 隆起線紋土器) stemming from Korea was found at Koshidaka 越高
and Koshidaka-ozaki 越高尾崎 sites (Tsushima) (MIYAMOTO 1990: 37-42, TANI 2004:4)
and the Nokubi 野首 site (Ojika 小値賀 Island, Gotō 五島
Archipelago). On the other
hand, a few pieces of Jōmon period Todoroki 轟 B type pottery had been found at
Dongsam-dong 東三洞and Yondae-do 煙臺島 sites in Korea (MIYAMOTO 1990: 37-42, YI
1998:62-95).
The influence of Korean pottery on Japanese types is relatively strong (see
Fig. 1). In the first half of the middle Jōmon period, the situation is still
the same; middle Neolithic pottery was found at Meotoiwa site (Tsushima) and a
piece of Funamoto type pottery of Jōmon was found at Dongsam-dong site in
Korea. Interaction between the two areas probably was related to the search
for large fish and sea animals in the Korean Straits. Further evidence for
such interaction are the composite fish hooks and saw-shaped stone implements
(harpoons), originating from Korea, found in Kyūshū during this period (see
WATANABE 1985; TAKAKURA 1995:39-43).
 |
Fig. 1: Reciprocal influences of pottery types (South Korea and northern Kyūshū). |
The movement of pottery became even stronger from the end of the middle Jōmon
to the beginning of the late Jōmon period, c. 2000 BCE. Pottery of the late
Neolithic of Korea was found at Yoshida 吉田 and Nukashi ヌカシ sites (Tsushima)
(MIYAMOTO 2004: 14-19; KANEGAE and MITSUJI 2004:27-37; TANI 2004:4; SAKATA
1978:82-88), whereas the Nanpukuji 南福寺 and Kitakuneyama 北久根山 types of Late
Jōmon pottery, which date to the same period as the late Neolithic of Korea,
were found at Dongsam-dong site in Korea. At Yoshida site chipped obsidian raw
materials have been unearthed, similar to those from Koshidake 腰岳 site (Saga
Prefecture佐賀[県]) in northern Kyūshū. As the same kind of obsidian products
were moreover found at several sites in southern Korea, obsidian obviously was
traded to the Korean Peninsula by Jōmon people.
Interaction in the Bronze Age
During the (Kor.) Mumun 無文 (coarse plain) pottery culture of Korea,
following the Neolithic, polished stone tools begun to be used, while the
import of chipped obsidian tools from northern Kyūshū came to an end. Mutual
trading between the two areas ceased during this period. In Japanese reckoning
this applies to the latter half of late Jōmon and the final Jōmon period.
Immigrations from the southern Korean Peninsula to northern Kyūshū instead
triggered the emergence of the Yayoi culture (Jap. Yayoi bunka 弥生文化),
which is characterized by irrigated agriculture and which shows influences of
middle phase Mumun pottery culture. Initial Yayoi dates from the 8th century
BCE (MIYAMOTO 2008d), and some archaeological evidence of this period is
apparent for Tsushima and Iki islands.
At the next step of interaction between southern Korea and northern Kyūshū was
reached when bronze weapons began to be exported to Kyūshū at the end of Early
Yayoi to the beginning of Middle Yayoi period (ca. 300 BCE). This time is
corresponding to the late Mumun pottery culture. Several early bronze weapons
were found at Harunotsuji 原の辻 site in Iki Island. Late Mumun pottery was also
found there. The distribution of Mumun pottery is limited to a certain area of
the Harunotsuji site. This indicates that immigrants from Korea inhabited only
limited parts of settlements, separated from domestic Yayoi people. These
immigrants may have been traders bringing bronzes to northern Kyūshū. In
northern Kyūshū as well, some sites show similar structures. At Yoshinogari
吉野ヶ里 or Habu 土生 sites (Saga Prefecture), Mumun pottery finds also concentrate
in certain parts of the settlement. This situation supports the assumption
that immigrants stayed there. These immigrants may be seen in relation to
bronze production in northern Kyūshū, as early moulds of bronzes had been
found only at this kind of sites (Kitakyūshū shiritsu kōko hakubutsukan 1997:
17).
 |
Map 2: Location of main Yayoi sites in Iki Island. |
Interaction in the early Iron Age
Settlement activity at Karakami カラカミ site began during the late phase of
Middle Yayoi, as is obvious from Sugu type pottery (Jap. Sugu-shiki doki
須玖式土器) finds, and it continued until the end of the Yayoi period. We have
carried out excavations at this site during five seasons in recent years
(MIYAMOTO 2008; see also OKSBJERG 2007). The site consists of a moated
settlement less than 200 m in diameter. It is one of two Yayoi period moated
settlements in Iki Island. Another larger moated settlement has been excavated
at Harunotsuji, a site which was continuously inhabited from early Yayoi to
the ancient period. Karakami site is located in the north-western part of Iki
Island, a mountainous area. Harunotsuji, on the other hand, is located in the
south-eastern part of the island, where plains suitable for rice cultivation
exist. Accordingly, Harunotsuji site is supposed to be the centre of the
south-eastern part of Yayoi period Iki Island while Karakami might have
existed at the same time independently as a centre of the islands
north-western part.
A hill forms the central part of the Karakami site, nowadays the location of
Karakami Shrine. The surrounding moat runs along the foot of the hill with a
diameter of ca. 200 m in the north-south axis and ca. 100 m east-west. Yayoi
period structures continue far beyond the moat. In 1952, the Society for the
Archaeology of East Asia in Japan (Jap. Tō-A kōkogakkai 東亜考古学会)
conducted an excavation at Karakami site. Two areas were examined. Excavation
area No. 1 was located outside the moat on a gentle slope of the Karakami Shrine hill. Excavation area No. 2 was located on the eastern slope of the
hill near the moat. This area yielded some pottery from Korea, while the
excavation area No. 1 produced only a few fragments (MIYAMOTO 2008b:8-10; TAKESUE 1991:331-332; OKSBJERG 2007:11-13). One example is a small pot (Jap.
kogata tsubo 小型壼) fired by high temperature (Fig.
2). Considering
typology, the small pot probably came from the Chinese Lelang commandery
樂浪[郡], which was located in the Pyeongyang 平壤 area of northern Korea (TANI and
SAIKI 2008:75). After comparing the specimen with other Lelang pottery, I came
to believe that this piece dates from the first century BCE. It is
contemporary with the Sugu II pottery type, which chronologically belongs to
the end of the Middle Yayoi period.
A piece of gray pottery (Fig. 2) also seems to come from the south of the
Korean Peninsula. This type is called samhan pottery (Kor. samhan togi
三韓土器) in Korea. According to BAK Sun-bals 朴淳發 chronology (BAK 2004:59-72) it
dates from the latter half of the first century CE. The origin of a red pot
(Jap. tsubo 壼) is difficult to identify (Fig. 2). There is no similar example from a
Yayoi context. Petrology analysis indicates parallels to Korean pottery
instead, so this specimen might also have come from Korea in the Late Yayoi
period (TANI and SAIKI 2008:75; MIYAMOTO 2008c:93; KANEGAE and MITSUJI 2008:
101-110).
 |
Fig. 2: Lelang and samhan pottery. |
Besides Korean pottery, much Itoshima style pottery (Jap. Itoshima-shiki
doki 糸島式土器) has been found, coming from the Itoshima area, a peninsula
lying north-west of Fukuoka City 福岡[市], as well as pottery in a style typical
for the eastern part of the Onga River 遠賀[川] basin in Fukuoka Prefecture. This
means that the Karakami excavations produced a lot of pottery from outside of
Iki Island. Interaction of the Karakami people therefore was not only going on
with the Korean Peninsula but also with northern Kyūshū. This situation is
also seen at Harunotsuji site. Both settlements were important locations with
regard to the interaction between Korea and northern Kyūshū.
The results of flotation carried out during our excavation at Karakami site
indicated the existence of many wheat grains and a few rice grains (see
TAKAMIYA 2008:114-119). The phytoliths analysis of dwelling pit No. 1 also
indicated there was much rice and wheat. Regular food of the Karakami
inhabitants therefore must have consisted of cereals such as wheat and rice.
However, we have found many pecking stones (Jap. tatakiishi 敲石) used
for the grinding of nuts (see KAMIJŌ, SHIRAISHI and MORI 2008:84). These stone
tools are characteristic finds of the Jōmon period, and only very few finds
come from Yayoi period sites. The problem why so many pecking stones appeared
at Karakami site therefore is unsolved. We may need to consider an additional
function for these stone tools.
Quite a lot bone tools, used for collecting ear shells (abalone), have been
found at Karakami and Harunotsuji sites. Such tools are also known from Neuk-do
勒島 site, located on a small island at the coast of southern Korea. Neuk-do is
supposed to have been a key settlement for the interaction between Korea and
Japan. The site yielded a small amount Lelang pottery and a lot of Yayoi
pottery or modified Yayoi pottery. The shell midden at Karakami site produced
many fish bones, so part of the subsistence activity of the inhabitants
depended on fishing. The people of Karakami site are believed to have been
fishermen, navigating their boats to the Korean Peninsula or to northern Kyūshū.
Several iron tools and iron materials have been unearthed at Karakami site
(see KAMIJŌ, SHIRAISHI and MORI 2008:90-92). An interesting Korean site in
this context is the Gian-ri 旗安里 site in Gyeonggi Province 京畿[道], an iron tool
production site of the early Iron Age. At this site a hammer for making iron
tools was found, which looks very similar to the pecking stones of Karakami
site. The many pecking stones from Yayoi period Karakami and Harunotsuji sites
anyway raise questions, as there are almost no such finds in other Yayoi sites
of northern Kyūshū. In addition, we have found a lot of wheat and rice grains
but very few nuts, such as acorn. The number of pecking stones clearly is not
related to the collecting of nuts. Therefore I came to believe that the
pecking stones of Karakami site were used as hammers to make iron tools, just
as it was the case at Gian-ri site in Korea. Even in northern Kyūshū there are
a few examples of pecking stones in use as hammers for iron tool production,
such as at Yasutake-fukada 安武・深田 site (Fukuoka Prefecture 福岡[県]), dating from
the latter half of the Yayoi period. It therefore is supposed that also at
Karakami site iron tools were produced with the help of pecking stones after
iron materials had been imported from the Korean Peninsula. In Karakami site
we have also found many whetstones (Jap. toishi 砥石) for the polishing
of iron tools. This means that the Karakami site was a likely trading centre
for iron tools and possibly for cereals, such as wheat and rice, and connected
a trading centre for iron tools and cereals, such as wheat and rice,
connecting the two areas of southern Korea and northern Kyūshū.
Conclusion
Karakami site is a very unique site dating from the end of the Middle Yayoi period (1st century BCE) to the end of the Late Yayoi and the beginning of the Kofun 古墳 period (3rd century CE). Much of the pottery unearthed at Karakami was made in, or influenced from, other areas, such as Lelang, the three Han (Kor. samhan 三韓), Itoshima, or the eastern part of the Onga River area. Therefore we suggest that Karakami was a prominent place of interaction between Korea and northern Kyūshū. In addition, it is possible that Karakami inhabitants manufactured iron tools, or remade iron materials imported from the Korean Peninsula, for export to northern Kyūshū or areas further away on the Japanese archipelago. Karakami apparently was an intermediate trading center for iron materials or tools as well as cereals such as wheat and rice, and it seems likely that the fishermen of Karakami conducted the intermediate trading. Possibly historically significant is the fact that the beginning of this site coincides with the establishment of Lelang. Moreover, it is important to note that the dating of the Karakami site is relatively later than the Neuk-do site in Korea, which also was a trading centre and yielded a lot of Sugu type pottery (Fig. 3). After Lelang was established and the Neuk-do settlement had vanished, the intermediate trading between the Korean Peninsula and northern Kyūshū started to be carried out through Karakami site. Karakami, as well as Harunotsuji, played an important role regarding the north- and southbound trading that connected northern Kyūshū with samhan period Korea. This is an important phase within the progress of interaction, even before direct trading started between Hakata and Busan in the first half of the Kofun period. After state formation processes the interaction between the two areas was administered officially through the executive bodies of the ancient countries.
 |
Fig. 3: Chronology of Yayoi pottery types. |
References
BAK Sun-bal 2004, Baekje togi hyeongseong-gi e boineun Nangnang togi ui yeonghyang: simbal-hyeong togi mit jangran-hyeong togi hyeongseong gwajeong eul jungsim euro. In: Baekje Yeongu, Vol. 40 [朴淳發 「百済土器形成期에 보이는楽浪土器의影響・深鉢形土器및長卵形土器形成過程을 中心으로」『百済研究40』], pp. 59-72.
KAMIJŌ Nobuhiko, SHIROISHI Tanisae and MORI Takanori 2008, Shutsudo sekki to sono hoka no ibutsu. In: MIYAMOTO Kazuo (ed.), Iki Karakami iseki I (Karakami site, Iki Island, Japan: excavation at the second area of Karakami site): Karakami iseki Tōa kōkogakkai dai 2 chiten no hakkutsu chōsa. Fukuoka: Kyūshū daigakuin jinbun kagaku kenkyūin (Kyūshū University, Faculty of Humanities) [上條信彦・白石渓冴・森貴教「出土石器とその他の遺物」, 宮本一夫 編 『壱岐カラカミ遺跡 I―カラカミ遺跡東亞考古学会第2地点の発掘調査―』, 福岡: 九州大学大学院人文科学研究院考古学研究室], pp. 84-92.
KANEGAE Kenji and MITSUJI Toshikazu 2004, Yoshida iseki shutsudo doki, oyobi kanren iseki saishū taido bunseki. In: MIYAMOTO Kazuo (ed.), Tsushima Yoshida iseki: Jōmon jidai iseki no hakkutsu chōsa. Fukuoka: Kyūshū daigakuin jinbun kagaku kenkyūin (Kyūshū University, Faculty of Humanities) [鐘ヶ江賢二・三辻利一 「吉田遺跡出土土器、および関連遺跡採集土器の胎土分析」, 宮本一夫 編 『対馬吉田遺跡―縄文時代遺跡の発掘調査―』福岡: 九州大学大学院人文科学研究院考古学研究室], pp. 27-37.
KANEGAE Kenji and MITSUJI Toshikazu 2008, Karakami iseki shutsudo doki no taido bunseki. In: MIYAMOTO Kazuo (ed.), Iki Karakami iseki I (Karakami site, Iki Island, Japan: excavation at the second area of Karakami site): Karakami iseki Tōa kōkogakkai dai 2 chiten no hakkutsu chōsa. Fukuoka: Kyūshū daigakuin jinbun kagaku kenkyūin (Kyūshū University, Faculty of Humanities) [鐘ヶ江賢二三辻利一「カラカミ遺跡出土土器の胎土分析」, 宮本一夫 編 『壱岐カラカミ遺跡 I―カラカミ遺跡東亞考古学会第2地点の発掘調査―』, 福岡: 九州大学大学院人文科学研究院考古学研究室], pp. 40-83.
Kitakyūshū shiritsu kōko hakubutsukan (ed.) 1997, Yayoi no imono kōbō to sono sekai. Tokubetsu ten zuroku. Dai 15 kai tokubetsu ten. Kitakyūshū: Kitakyūshū shiritsu kōko hakubutsukan [北九州市立考古博物館 編 『弥生の鋳物工房と園世界』 特別展図録, 第15回特別展。北九州: 北九州市立考古博物館].
MIYAMOTO Kazuo 1990, Kaikyō o hasamu futatsu no chiiki. Santō-hantō to Ryōtō-hanto, Chōsen- hantō nanbu to seihoku Kyūshū, sono chiikisei to denpa mondai. In: Kōkogaku Kenkyū (2) 37. [宮本一夫「海峡を挟む二つの地域―山東半島と遼東半島、朝鮮半島南部と西北九州、その地域性と伝播問題―」『考古学研究』第37巻第2号]，pp. 29-48.
MIYAMOTO Kazuo (ed.) 2004, Tsushima Yoshida iseki: Jōmon jidai iseki no hakkutsu chōsa. Fukuoka: Kyūshū daigakuin jinbun kagaku kenkyūin (Kyūshū University, Faculty of Humanities) [宮本一夫 編 『対馬吉田遺跡―縄文時代遺跡の発掘調査―』福岡: 九州大学大学院人文科学研究院考古学研究室].
MIYAMOTO Kazuo (ed.) 2008a, Iki Karakami iseki I (Karakami site, Iki Island, Japan: excavation at the second area of Karakami site): Karakami iseki Tōa kōkogakkai dai 2 chiten no hakkutsu chōsa. Fukuoka: Kyūshū daigakuin jinbun kagaku kenkyūin (Kyūshū University, Faculty of Humanities) [宮本一夫 編 『壱岐カラカミ遺跡 I―カラカミ遺跡東亞考古学会第2地点の発掘調査―』, 福岡: 九州大学大学院人文科学研究院考古学研究室].
MIYAMOTO Kazuo 2008b, Karakami iseki no sai-chōsa no keido to mokuteki. In: MIYAMOTO Kazuo (ed.), Iki Karakami iseki I (Karakami site, Iki Island, Japan: excavation at the second area of Karakami site): Karakami iseki Tōa kōkogakkai dai 2 chiten no hakkutsu chōsa. Fukuoka: Kyūshū daigakuin jinbun kagaku kenkyūin (Kyūshū University, Faculty of Humanities) [宮本一夫 「カラカミ遺跡の再調査の経度と目的」, 宮本一夫 編 『壱岐カラカミ遺跡 I―カラカミ遺跡東亞考古学会第2地点の発掘調査―』, 福岡: 九州大学大学院人文科学研究院考古学研究室], pp. 8-12.
MIYAMOTO Kazuo 2008c, Karakami iseki dai 2 chiten no hakkutsu chōsa seika. In: MIYAMOTO Kazuo (ed.), Iki Karakami iseki I (Karakami site, Iki Island, Japan: excavation at the second area of Karakami site): Karakami iseki Tōa kōkogakkai dai 2 chiten no hakkutsu chōsa. Fukuoka: Kyūshū daigakuin jinbun kagaku kenkyūin (Kyūshū University, Faculty of Humanities) [宮本一夫 「カラカミ遺跡第2地点の発掘調査の成果」, 宮本一夫 編 『壱岐カラカミ遺跡 I―カラカミ遺跡東亞考古学会第2地点の発掘調査―』, 福岡: 九州大学大学院人文科学研究院考古学研究室], pp. 93-97.
MIYAMOTO Kazuo 2008d, Ryōto no Ryōnei-shiki dōken kara Yayoi no nendai o kangaeru. In: Shien 145. Fukuoka: Kyūshū daigakuin jinbun kagaku kenkyūin (Kyūshū University, Faculty of Humanities) [宮本一夫「遼東の遼寧式銅剣から弥生の年代を考える」『史淵』第145輯, 九州大学人文科学研究院], pp. 155-190.
OKSBJERG, Jane 2007, Karakami: A Yayoi site in Iki Island. In: Bulletin of the Society for East Asian Archaeology (BSEAA), Vol. 1, pp. 9-33.
SAKATA Kunihiro 1987, Tsushima Nukashi ni okeru Jōmon jidai chūki bunka: Beppu daigaku kōkogaku kenkyūshitsu hōkoku, daiichisatsu. Isahaya: Shōwadō [坂田邦洋 『対馬ヌカシにおける縄文時代中期文化・別府大学考古学研究室報告 第一冊』諌早: 昭和堂].
TAKAKURA Hiroaki 1995, Kinin kokka-gun no jidai. Higashi Ajia sekai to Yayoi shakai. Aoki Library, Nihon no rekishi. Tōkyō: Aoki shoten [高倉洋彰 『金印国家群の時代― 東アジア世界弥生社会』Aoki Libary 日本の歴史, 東京: 青木書店].
TAKAMIYA Hiroto 2008, Karakami iseki (2004-2006 nendo chōsa) shutsudo no shokubutsu itai. In: MIYAMOTO Kazuo (ed.), Iki Karakami iseki I (Karakami site, Iki Island, Japan: excavation at the second area of Karakami site): Karakami iseki Tōa kōkogakkai dai 2 chiten no hakkutsu chōsa. Fukuoka: Kyūshū daigakuin jinbun kagaku kenkyūin (Kyūshū University, Faculty of Humanities) [高宮広土「カラカミ遺跡 (20042006年度調査) 出土の植物遺体」, 宮本一夫 編 『壱岐カラカミ遺跡 I―カラカミ遺跡東亞考古学会第2地点の発掘調査―』, 福岡: 九州大学大学院人文科学研究院考古学研究室], pp. 114-120.
TAKESUE Jun'ichi 1991, Karakami iseki. In: ODA Fujio and HAN Byeong-sam (eds.), Nichi-Kan kōshō no kōkogaku. Yayoi jidai hen. Tōkyō: Rokkō shuppan [武末純一 「カラカミ遺跡」, 小田富士雄・韓炳三 編 『日韓交渉の考古学弥生時代篇』東京: 六興出版〉], pp. 331-332.
TANI Naoko 2004, Yoshida iseki no ichi to kankyō. In: MIYAMOTO Kazuo (ed.), Tsushima Yoshida iseki: Jōmon jidai iseki no hakkutsu chōsa. Fukuoka: Kyūshū daigakuin jinbun kagaku kenkyūin (Kyūshū University, Faculty of Humanities) [谷直子 「吉田遺跡位置と環境」, 宮本一夫 編 『対馬吉田遺跡 I』縄文時代遺跡の発掘調査。福岡:九州大学大学院人文科学研究院考古学研究室], pp. 1-6.
TANI Naoko and SAIKI Yuka 2008, Tō-A kōkogakkai ni yoru 1952 nendo Karakami iseki dai 2 chiten no hakkutsu chōsa: shutsudo doki. In: MIYAMOTO Kazuo (ed.), Iki Karakami iseki I (Karakami site, Iki Island, Japan: excavation at the second area of Karakami site): Karakami iseki Tōa kōkogakkai dai 2 chiten no hakkutsu chōsa. Fukuoka: Kyūshū daigakuin jinbun kagaku kenkyūin (Kyūshū University, Faculty of Humanities) ［谷直子斎木由佳「東亞考古学会第2地点の発掘調査出土土器」, 宮本一夫 編 『壱岐カラカミ遺跡 I―カラカミ遺跡東亞考古学会第2地点の発掘調査―』, 福岡: 九州大学大学院人文科学研究院考古学研究室], pp. 40-83.
WATANABE Makoto 1985, Seihoku Kyūshū no Jōmon jidai gyorō bunka. In: Rettō no bunka-shi 2. [渡辺誠 西北九州の縄文時代漁撈文化 『列島の文化史』2], pp. 45-96.
YI Sang-gyun 1998, Sinseokki sidae eui Han-Il munhwa gyoryu. Gogohak chongseo 0018. Seoul: Hagyeon munhwasa [李相均 『新石器時代의 韓曰 文化交流』考古學叢書 0018, 學硏文化社].
Download PDF