Korean J Phys Anthropol.
2010 Dec;23(4):169-175.
Anthropological Study on Ancient Human Skull and Teeth Discovered from Urn Coffin of Proto-Three Kingdoms Period in Korea
- Affiliations
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- 1Dankook University College of Medicine, Department of Anatomy, Korea.
- 2Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Department of Anatomy, Korea.
- 3Seoul National University, College of Medicine, Department of Anatomy, Korea. drdoogi@snu.ac.kr
- 4University of Brain Education, Department of Kukhak, Korea.
- 5Gyeongju National Museum, Korea.
- 6Gangwon Research Institute of Archaeological and Cultural Properties, Korea.
- 7Gangwon Research Institute of Cultural Properties, Korea.
Abstract
- Increase in agricultural production or steel manufacturing during Proto-Three Kingdoms Period enabled ancient people to establish well-organized ancient kingdoms in Korean peninsula. A pottery in which human skeletons were buried, the urn coffin, has been regarded as one of the frequently used burial system in ancient Korean society. Among them, the small-sized urn coffin was thought to be used for reburial of adult skeleton or burial for infants and children. In this report, we showed that the human adult bones were buried in a very unique pattern. Based on anthropological study, the dead person buried in the urn coffin died in his/her 30s; and every bone fragment belonged to human skull without exception. The dead person might be a warrior killed in action because there have been reports on exclusive burial of skull in a small-sized, ancient urn coffin in Japan, that was commonly interpreted as the burial of ancient warrior's heads decapitated during ancient battle, and were reburied in the burial ground. Nevertheless, considering that the cervical bones were not found along with the skull bone fragments, the tell tale sign of decapitation, more future studies are needed to confirm the hypothesis. However, even so, it could not be easily denied that very unique funeral customs: burial of human adult skull in a small-sized urn coffin, prevailed in the ancient Korean societies in certain regions.
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