Hanseong-Baekje era earthen fortress found in Jeolla region

An earthen fortress presumed to have been built during the Hanseong Baekje Dynasty has been found in the Jeolla provinces for the first time.

 

The Jeolla Research Institute of Cultural Heritage announced Monday that an earthen rampart was discovered at Baemae Fortress in Wanju County, North Jeolla Province. Baemae Fortress is a castle built around the top of Mt. Baemae, where an excavation work has been going on since June this year.

 

An investigation into the western wall of the fortress has found that the wall was made of a mixture of earth, sand, and rocks, and holes of wooden columns were found in the bottom layer of the wall. In the leveled field inside the fortress were drainage facilities made of rocks, lines of cobbles, and traces of chimneys.

 

Gubdari plates, three-footed earthenware, oval-shaped earthenware, and iron axes were found as well. Experts eval‎uate that the new findings are indicative of Baekje’s expanded influence into the Jeolla provinces during the Hanseong Baekje era.

Sang-Un Kim sukim@donga.com