Large-scale Earthen Mound from the Bronze Age Discovered at Songguk-ri Site in Buyeo

A Vast Area Unmatched Before
Also Discover Large Rows of Tree Pillars Seen as Proposal Passages

A large-scale embankment layer from the Bronze Age was discovered at the privately managed 'Buyeo Songguk-ri Site.'

Overview of the 27th Excavation Survey at Songguk-ri Site, Buyeo

The Cultural Heritage Administration announced on the 12th that Buyeo County and the Korea National University of Cultural Heritage confirmed a flat embankment layer artificially created by leveling the ground during the excavation. Until now, the embankment layer had been understood in a limited form. However, this time it extended over an incomparably wide area (1000㎡).

Various types of soil were used in the embankment layer. To level the surface, the weathered bedrock layer on the upper slope was cut away, and the soil obtained was piled on the slope to expand the area. The investigation team also identified seven ditch-shaped circular features (溝狀遺構, traces of civil engineering and architecture) created during the land formation process. The interiors were irregularly filled with clay lumps of gray and red colors. An official stated, "We plan to clarify the related aspects of the land formation process later."

Filling Patterns Inside the Gusaongyugu Structure

In this investigation, a large row of wooden pillars (木柱列, Mokju-yeol), believed to be a ceremonial passage, was also discovered. This feature consists of holes for wooden pillars arranged in rows. It may have been used in the construction of various facilities such as above-ground houses, wooden fences (defensive structures made by digging pits and inserting wooden pillars), and ritual facilities.

An official explained, "The two rows form pairs extending about 200 meters in length, all facing the No. 1 stone coffin tomb located to the north." He added, "The stone coffin tomb yielded artifacts symbolizing authority, such as a lute-shaped bronze dagger, a bronze chisel (銅鑿, a woodworking tool for carving grooves or drilling holes), and tubular jade beads (管玉, short tube-shaped beads with holes), suggesting that a village ruler was buried there. It is presumed that the wooden pillar rows served as a passage facility for rituals leading to the tomb cluster."

West Side Mokjuyeol Panorama

The Songguk-ri Site is a representative agricultural site from the middle Bronze Age. Previous excavations uncovered oval pits and circular house sites with pillar holes (post holes), large jars with necks flaring outward, triangular stone knives, and grooved stone axes (有溝石斧, adze-shaped stone tools with grooves on the head part).

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