Gimhae-si to Commence Detailed Excavation Survey of Gujibong Cultural Heritage Site

The precise excavation survey of Gujibong in Gimhae, Gyeongnam, where the Gujiga (龜旨歌) song "Turtle, turtle, stick out your head. If you don't, I'll roast and eat you" is said to have echoed, is set to begin.

Gujibong, which holds the founding myth of Gaya, was designated as a Gyeongnam Provincial Monument on August 6, 1983, and later became a National Historic Site on March 7, 2001.

On the 25th, Gimhae City announced that it will start the precise excavation survey of the Gujibong Cultural Heritage Protection Area, part of the second phase of the Gaya history project, as soon as the rainy season ends.

Gyeongnam Gimhae Gujibong Cultural Heritage Protection Area Detailed Excavation Survey Site.
[Photo by Gimhae City Hall]

The city is currently carrying out the second phase restoration project of Gaya history, aiming to restore the National Historic Site Gujibong Cultural Heritage Protection Area to its original state.

According to the city, compensation work for the obstructing structures in the 93,000㎡ area of the Gujibong Cultural Heritage Protection Area in Gusan-dong has recently been completed, and demolition work will proceed.

Compensation work for the project area, including Gimhae Office of Education, Gimhae West Middle School, Gimhae Construction Technical High School, and Gubong Elementary School, has been completed after more than four years of project promotion, and each school will relocate to other areas.

The city plans to restore the site, which will remain vacant by next year, into a historical park themed on the Yeongnam and Honam Gaya Kingdoms after completing the cultural heritage excavation work.

The excavation survey for this will be conducted as part of the 2023 national designated cultural heritage repair and maintenance (total amount budgeting) project.

Total amount budgeting means that the overall budget scale is set and reflected in the budget without specifying detailed projects.

Relics discovered during the trial excavation of Gujibong Cultural Heritage Protection Area in Gimhae-si, Gyeongnam,
[Photo by Gimhae City Hall]

In June, the city decided to conduct a precise excavation survey on a 1,620㎡ area of Bronze Age residential remains confirmed during a trial excavation targeting the southwestern hill of Gujibong and the former West Middle School playground.

During the trial excavation, a cultural layer containing artifacts such as ‘yugu’ (immovable structures created by human activity), ‘juhyeol’ (post holes), ‘suhyeong’ (pits dug downward), ‘gu’ (man-made trenches), and ‘mumuntogi’ (plain pottery from the Bronze Age) was discovered in the former West Middle School playground.

The city plans to clarify the exact nature and period of the ‘yugu’ confirmed during the trial excavation and conduct excavation surveys on the demolition sites as well.

A city official said, “This is the first academic precise excavation survey of the National Historic Site Gujibong Cultural Heritage Protection Area. Once the excavation is completed, we plan to establish a comprehensive maintenance plan for Gujibong to create a symbolic place connecting Gujibong and Daeseongdong Tumuli, embodying the beginning and prosperity of Geumgwan Gaya.”

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