First Discovery of Unified Silla Period 'Inner Fortress Wall' at Odusanseong in Paju

Achievements in Discovering Wall Construction Techniques from the Unified Silla Period

First Discovery of Inner Fortress Wall from the Unified Silla Period at Odusanseong Fortress in Paju (Location of Yeongjeongju Foundation Stone within the Second Stone Wall Base) [Paju City]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ra Young-cheol] Paju City, Gyeonggi Province announced on the 4th that "As a result of the academic excavation survey of the historic site Paju Odusanseong, conducted as a national treasury subsidy project by the Cultural Heritage Administration, a Unified Silla period fortress wall was confirmed for the first time in a section presumed to be the inner (內) fortress wall."

According to the city, the most important achievement of this survey was discovering the construction technique of the Unified Silla period fortress wall.

In particular, foundation stones placed to erect wooden pillars (Yeongjeongju, 永定柱) at regular intervals (distance between pillars 2m~3.5m) within the stone base were confirmed for the first time.

In the central region, fortress walls with Yeongjeongju foundation stones have been investigated at sites such as the Goryeo period Ganghwa Jungseong and Cheongju Uamsanseong.

However, this is the first domestic case where Yeongjeongju foundation stones were confirmed in a Unified Silla period fortress wall, specifically at Odusanseong.

This excavation survey began in September last year after obtaining excavation permission from the Cultural Heritage Administration and continued until April 2022.

The survey area was a section within Odusanseong presumed to be a fortress wall, with a focus on the northeastern ridge section.

Meanwhile, Odusanseong, located at the confluence of the Han River and Imjin River, is a mountain fortress built in a natural stronghold with steep slopes on all sides and three sides adjacent to rivers and the sea.

Academia estimates it to be Gwanmiseong, a battleground between Goguryeo and Baekje, and its historical, academic, and cultural significance is widely recognized.

Lee Gwi-soon, Director of the Department of Culture and Arts, said, "It is meaningful that this excavation survey, conducted with support from the Cultural Heritage Administration and in collaboration with the (Foundation) Guardian Cultural Research Institute, has prepared academic materials to estimate the original form of Odusanseong."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.