Large-scale Earthen Fortress Confirmed in Gaya Cultural Area... At Least 2km Long

by Seo Miteum

Published 13 Jun.2022 10:50(KST)

Panoramic View of the Gaya-ri Site in Haman

[Asia Economy Reporter Seomideum] The Cultural Heritage Administration's National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage, National Gaya Cultural Heritage Research Institute, announced on the 13th that through excavation surveys of the 'Haman Gayari Site' (Historic Site) located in Haman-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do, they confirmed that the total length of the earthen fortress surrounding the presumed Ara Gaya royal palace site is at least 2 km.

According to the National Gaya Cultural Heritage Research Institute, aerial LiDAR surveys and high-topography analyses were conducted on 34 locations within the designated historic site area (195,008㎡), where the possibility of the earthen fortress's remains is high, confirming that the length of the fortress is initially over 2 km.

The National Gaya Cultural Heritage Research Institute stated, "We will establish a mid- to long-term investigation plan to conduct research to clarify the characteristics of the site, including excavation surveys of the fortress's construction methods, building sites, and entrance facilities inside the fortress." They also added, "During the excavation period, we plan to share major excavation results and keep the site open for free exploration at all times."

At the Haman Gayari Site, important remains that can demonstrate the lifestyle and civil engineering techniques of the time, such as earthen fortresses, wooden palisades, and pit-house structures dating from the late 5th to the 6th century, have been confirmed through excavation surveys conducted since 2018. Recognized for its academic significance as the royal palace site of Ara Gaya, which had only been passed down through historical documents such as the 17th-century Dongguk Yeoji Ji (東國與地志), it was designated as a historic site in 2019.