Seokjang-ri Site, Jincheon

The Seokjang-ri Site in Jincheon is located in an area of alluvial plain formed along the upper reaches of the Mihocheon Stream and low, aged hill country, occupying the western slope of a gently sloping ridge running north from a hill about 105 m above sea level. The site was discovered during a survey of the cultural heritage of Jincheon-gun conducted by the Cheongju National Museum, and was excavated over four seasons from 1994 to 1997, during which a total of 36 furnace remains (no-jeok) related to iron production or ironworking were confirmed across the excavated area. The site made use of the sloping ground of a small valley within the low hills, with a dense concentration of varied furnace remains packed into a confined space. A full sequence of processes, from smelting to forging (danya), could be traced, and furnaces of diverse scale and form were investigated, including large box-shaped furnaces, circular furnaces, square furnaces and rectangular furnaces. In terms of structure, both underground and semi-underground types were identified, built with simple foundations that made use of the sloping ground; in particular, it was confirmed that a pit shaped like the Korean letter ㄷ (open on one side) had been dug around the outside, with the furnace built inside it. Judging from the artefacts unearthed, the dates indicate that iron production was carried on in this area continuously over a long period, from roughly the third century to the early fifth century. The ancient ironworking site at Seokjang-ri, Jincheon, is an important site for clarifying the nature of iron production, which formed a crucial economic foundation in the process of ancient state formation, and, with its varied furnace forms and structures relatively well preserved, it is valued as important material for the reconstruction of ancient smelting furnaces.

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Where it is

Region

Jincheon, Chungbuk

Designation

Provincial Monument · 시도기념물