Haenam-gun Contains 'The Beginning and End of Mahan History'

Excavation of Hyeonsan-myeon Ilpyeong-ri Site Draws Focus as Essence of Mahan History

Haenam-gun, Jeollanam-do, is drawing attention as a preliminary excavation survey is being conducted on the Ilpyeong-ri site, presumed to be the administrative center of ancient Haenam and the core of Haenam Mahan history.

According to the county, from December 26 last year, a six-month preliminary excavation survey of the Mahan site in Ilpyeong-ri, Hyeonsan-myeon, is being carried out by the Jeonnam Cultural Heritage Research Institute.

On the 11th, during the on-site advisory committee meeting, it was reported that extensive relics and remains dating from the 2nd century BCE to the 7th century CE, spanning the Mahan to the Three Kingdoms period, were discovered.

Haenam Hyeonsan-myeon Ilpyeong-ri Excavation Site
[Photo by Haenam-gun]

Through the preliminary excavation, numerous stepwise materials were secured that confirm the transition process from Mahan to Baekje era and allow the restoration of lifestyle, as settlement sites such as dwellings, shell mounds, cultivated lands, and fortress walls were identified.

The coastal area of Baekpoman in Haenam-gun is home to numerous relics representing the essence of ancient Mahan culture, including the Gungok-ri shell mound in Songji-myeon, the Euphori burial mound cluster in Hyeonsan-myeon, the Wonjin-ri jar coffin burial mound cluster in the Samsancheon area, the Manui-chong burial mound cluster in Okcheon Bay, and the Bukil burial mound cluster in Bukil-myeon, featuring dolmens, burial mounds, and shell mounds.

In particular, the area near Ilpyeong-ri, Hyeonsan-myeon, where the current investigation is underway, was historically called ‘Jukgeumseong’ or ‘Old Haenam Fortress.’

According to the Sinjeung Dongguk Yeoji Seungnam and Dongguk Yeoji Ji, the Ilpyeong-ri area was the administrative center of ancient Haenam-hyeon, raising expectations that clues about Shinmiguk, which remains the greatest mystery in Mahan history, may be found here.

The survey results revealed a terraced mountain fortress with a circumference of 173 meters built on the hilltop. Although parts of the fortress walls were damaged, the southern and northern walls were confirmed, and residential clusters dating from the Mahan to the Three Kingdoms period were newly investigated on the hills outside the fortress.

The various Mahan relics in Haenam-gun symbolically explain the development process of the ancient maritime kingdom Mahan culture and the importance of maritime routes, holding a significant position not only for Haenam but also for illuminating Korea’s ancient history.

The Gungok-ri shell mound underwent eight excavation phases, yielding various artifacts that show the lifestyle of Mahan people in the Haenam region and traces of international exchange, reaffirming its role as a maritime exchange hub of ancient Mahan on the west and south coasts of the Korean Peninsula.

Additionally, the Eupho-ri burial mound cluster, excavated twice in 2019 and 2021, spans approximately 1.4 million square meters with over 110 visible tombs, drawing attention as the largest Mahan-Baekje burial mound cluster in Honam.

Preliminary investigations are also underway at the Bangsan-ri Eagles’ Peak burial mound cluster, where the tomb of a Mahan chief was first identified, and at the Oknyobong earthen fortress, where a mountain village settlement was discovered, attracting significant academic interest.

A county official stated, “Haenam is a meaningful place that spans the entire Mahan period through to the Three Kingdoms era, representing the beginning and end of Mahan culture. Through excavation, we plan to clarify the scale and nature of the relics and establish an academic foundation for the systematic maintenance and restoration of Mahan historical sites in the future.”

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