Jeommal Cave Site, Jecheon

The Jeommal Cave site is the first Paleolithic cave site to be identified in South Korea. Formed in a limestone zone of the Joseon System, it lies at the end of Byeongpungbawi Rock, partway up the south-eastern slope of Yongdusan Mountain, and has six branch passages developing around the main cave. Excavations conducted by the Yonsei University Museum over eight seasons between 1973 and 1980 revealed three clearly distinct cultural layers corresponding to the Early, Middle and Late Paleolithic. Scientific dating methods, together with the excavated artefacts and the pattern of stratified deposits, established dates for the Early Paleolithic, the Middle Paleolithic (66,000 years ago) and the Late Paleolithic (18,660 years ago), making this a site that can clarify the cultural character of the entire Paleolithic period. The cave has an entrance 2–3 m wide; because its interior is blocked, its total length cannot be confirmed, but the length identified so far is 12–13 m. As the entrance faces south-east, the cave offered excellent conditions for prehistoric habitation. Rich archaeological remains were found here, including fossils of 20 animal species such as the woolly rhinoceros, cave bear and short-tailed monkey, together with stone tools, bone tools, artworks and plant fossils, making this an important site for clarifying the natural environment, way of life and technological development of the Paleolithic period. At Jeommal Cave, naturally accumulated soil, fallen limestone blocks, rounded pebbles and flowstone floors help to distinguish the stratigraphic layers and clarify the climatic environment, while archaeological materials brought in from outside by people — game animals, bone tools, stone tools — provide valuable data for dating the site and for research into prehistoric ways of life.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Jecheon, Chungbuk

Designation

Provincial Monument · 시도기념물