Iseongsanseong Fortress, Hanam

Iseongsanseong Fortress adjoins the ridge of Geumamsan Mountain, which forms a long chain where it meets the ridge descending northward from Cheongnyangsan Mountain, the site of Namhansanseong Fortress. High mountains enclose the plain to the south, but only low hills lie to the north, giving a commanding view over the area around the Hangang River. Iseongsanseong is therefore very favourably positioned both to defend the plain behind it and to guard the Hangang River basin against enemies approaching from north of the river. Full-scale excavation of the 1,925-metre-long fortress and its interior was carried out over seven seasons from 1986 to 1999 under Hanyang University Museum, yielding a total of 3,352 artefacts, including Three Kingdoms-period building sites (octagonal, nonagonal and rectangular in plan), associated facilities such as gate sites and drains, wooden tablets, and iron horse figurines. In particular, a wooden tablet recovered during the third excavation bears an inscription on its front reading "戊辰年正月十二日朋南漢城道使…" ("on the twelfth day of the first month of the mujin year, [an official holding the post of] Namhanseong-dosa…"), and the "mujin year" is thought to correspond to 608. The excavated pottery is similar to that found at Hwangnyongsa Temple and Anapji Pond and has been identified as Unified Silla ware; the fortress is thought to have been built after Silla occupied the Hangang River basin in the mid-fifth century, and it is assessed as an extremely valuable site both historically and academically.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Hanam, Gyeonggi

Designation

Historic Site · 사적