Historic kiln site to be designated as cultural heritage

A Goryeo celadon kiln site in Dotong-ri, Jinan-gun, North Jeolla Province, will be named a state-designated cultural property, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced Monday.

The kiln site, which provides a glimpse of the Goryeo dynasty’s culture of making celadons, was used to produce early versions of celadons in the 10th and 11th centuries, and was discovered during a 5-year-long excavation study that began in 2013. The 43-meter-long kiln is the largest of its kind, used to make celadons in early stages, ever found in the southwestern region of the country. Researchers say that the site holds great academic value as the shape of the kiln signals a historic transition from a brick-made kiln to a mud kiln.


Won-Mo Yu onemore@donga.com