韓國 靑銅器時代 環狀列石에 대한 小考

Abstract

A stone circle is a circular alignment of standing stones. They are usually grouped in terms of the shape and size of the stones, the span of their radius and their population within the local area. Stone circles are commonly found across Northern Europe and Great Britain. Stone circles also appear at northern and western Europe, Senegambia of mid west Africa, west and south Asia, southeast Asia, southern Siberia, northeast Asia, and so on. The best known examples of stone circles include those at the henge monument at Avebury, the Rollright Stones and elements within the ring of standing stones at Stonehenge. Stone circles, for the first time in Korea, were known by Gwang-Jung Seok. In the winter season on 1971, he excavated several dolmens and one stone circle at Songshin-dong, Yeontan county. After this excavation, twelve stone circles at eight sites in north and south Korea were investigated so far. Nine stone circles at five sites in North Korea were found and three stone circles at three sites were unearthed from South Korea. Stone circles in Korea had two types in structure. First type is circular stone row arranged with pebbles or small boulders. Second type is the small sized rocks piled on the inner floor which arrange stones in oval framed with kerb stones. These constructions of stone circles were usually found at the alluvial land floor on the riverbank or hill ridges which command a fine view. Regarding the remains such as paengi shaped pottery and the bowl with round clay stripes, Stone circles in Korea typically date from the Bronze Age to Early Iron Age. Although many theories about stone circles have been advance to explain their use, usually around providing a setting for ceremony or ritual, there is no consensus among archaeologists as to their intended function. Their construction of stone circles often involved considerable communal effort, including specialist tasks such as planning, quarrying, transportation, laying the foundation trenches, and final construction. The sites excavated stone circles do not contain evidence of human dwelling or tombs. This suggests that stone circles were constructed for ceremonies.