Goheung Namyangri Mountain Fortress, Recent Trial Excavation Reveals Initial Construction Period for the First Time

Published 22 May.2024 13:54(KST)

First Fortified in Late 5th Century AD, Revealed Through Excavated Pottery

Recently, Goheung-gun (Governor Gong Young-min) has attracted great academic interest as meaningful relics and artifacts were discovered that reveal the initial construction period of Namyangri Fortress (Jeollanam-do Monument No. 207).

On the 21st, Goheung-gun, Jeollanam-do, completed a trial excavation of Namyangri Fortress located in Namyang-myeon.

[Photo by Goheung-gun]

This investigation was conducted by the Korea Cultural Heritage Research Institute (Director Lee Young-chul) from May 8 for 10 days, under the ‘Special Act on the Maintenance of Historical and Cultural Areas,’ aiming to collect basic data for the designation and restoration of national historic sites and to survey the ancient historical culture of the ‘Mahan relics.’

The results confirmed that the fortress was first constructed in the late 5th century AD, and that it fulfilled its function until the late Joseon period, after General Yi Sun-sin ascended the fortress during the Imjin War in 1596.

Namyangri Fortress, the largest Baekje-era fortress in Goheung-gun, was found to contain the remains of at least 20 buildings constructed from the Baekje to Joseon periods. Pottery excavated revealed that it was built around the late 5th century, the earliest among Baekje fortresses distributed in the Suncheon, Yeosu, Gwangyang, and Goheung areas.

Unlike the military defensive fortresses such as Dokchiseong, Baekchiseong, and Handongri Fortress, Namyangri Fortress was confirmed through this investigation to have functioned as the administrative center of Jojorye-hyeon (助助禮縣) during the Baekje period. Additionally, two unique bronze artifacts along with Baekje roof tiles were excavated from a site believed to be the administrative building center, marking the first discovery of such rare relics in the Honam region.

In the central north-western part of the fortress, a large building site measuring at least 25 meters in length (approximately 10 bays wide by 2 bays deep) dating to the Imjin War period, when General Yi Sun-sin visited the fortress, was also discovered.

A county official stated, “Over 300 artifacts including pottery, earthenware, porcelain, roof tiles, and grindstones were excavated during this trial investigation,” adding, “We will strive to clarify the construction period, scale, and characteristics of the more than 20 building sites through detailed excavation in the future, and restore the landscape changes within Namyangri Fortress to secure the justification for its designation as a historic site.”