Ancient Roman Glass Unearthed in Haman, Gyeongnam

Ancient Roman glass has been excavated from the Maliyasan Tumuli in Haman, Gyeongnam, drawing significant attention from the academic community.

Haman County and the National Gaya Cultural Heritage Research Institute of the Cultural Heritage Administration announced on the 26th that scientific analysis of two ancient glass vessel fragments recovered from the Maliyasan Tumuli in 2021 and 2022 confirmed them as Roman glass imported from the ancient Western Regions.

This is the first time Roman glass has been identified in the Ara Gaya cultural zone and the third instance in the Gaya cultural area, following Tomb M1 in the Okjeon Tumuli in Hapcheon and Tomb 91 in the Daeseongdong Tumuli in Gimhae.

Recovered glass container around Haman Malsan Tomb No. 75.
[Image provided by=Haman County]

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In Tomb 75 of Maliyasan, excavated by Haman County and the Gyeongnam Research Institute in 2021, a celadon bowl with a lotus pattern produced in the Southern Dynasties of China around the 5th century was unearthed. Nearby, a dark blue glass fragment with a rounded rolled decoration, commonly referred to as "Roman glass," was recovered.

Gimhae Daeseong-dong Tomb No. 91.

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Additionally, a similar glass fragment was found during a trial excavation in the northern area of the Maliyasan Tumuli in 2022. Similar glass fragments have previously been excavated from the Geumgwanchong Tomb in Gyeongju, Sacheonwangsa Temple Site, and Daeseongdong Tumuli in Gimhae. Haman County and the Gyeongnam Research Institute requested scientific analysis from the National Gaya Cultural Heritage Research Institute for natural science-based examination.

Glass vessel from Sacheonwangsa Temple Site, Gyeongju.

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The National Gaya Cultural Heritage Research Institute conducted scientific analyses on two glass fragments from the Maliyasan Tumuli, as well as one glass fragment each from the Daeseongdong Tumuli in Gimhae and the Sacheonwangsa Temple Site in Gyeongju, to identify the production sites and trace the influx routes. The results showed that all four glass fragments had high calcium (lime) content and low alumina content, confirming them as soda-lime glass known as Roman glass.

Generally, Roman glass (soda-lime glass) has been classified into two main categories based on soda raw materials: Roman glass and Sasanian glass. However, the four glass fragments analyzed in this study fall between these two categories, indicating the existence of a third category of Roman glass distinct from the traditional classification.

Moreover, since glass vessel fragments in the form of Roman glass have only been found in the Yeongnam region, including Haman and Gimhae, it is believed that Roman glass with diverse production sites and raw materials was distributed mainly in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula in ancient times.

A county official stated, "This scientific analysis and research by the National Gaya Cultural Heritage Research Institute has provided an opportunity to begin broader and more detailed studies on Roman glass that entered the Korean Peninsula in the 5th to 6th centuries. We plan to continue investigations into the lotus-patterned celadon bowl excavated from the Maliyasan Tumuli and the external trade and exchange patterns of Ara Gaya, and will conduct excavation surveys this year in the northern area of Maliyasan where the glass fragments were found, in cooperation with the Gyeongnam Research Institute."

Meanwhile, the scientific analysis results of the four glass fragments excavated from the Maliyasan Tumuli and other sites by the National Gaya Cultural Heritage Research Institute are scheduled to be presented at the Korean Society of Cultural Heritage Conservation on the 29th.

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