울주 천전리 각석의 세선각화와 동아시아 선사고대미술로 본 기록문화

Abstract

Cheonjeonri Gakseok line engraving is a three-layered work displaying multiple animals in dot engravings on the whole of the upper surface and geometric patterns engraved in grinding method on the overall surface. Although the time relationship between the images and the engraved text is unclear, some overlaps suggest that the line engravings began in relatively early period. The subject matter of figures adorning the bottom of the surface is diverse, ranging from animals such as deer, horse, and bird to men, women, figures on horseback, number of ships, and dragon. Some of the human figures and horses may be linked to the engraved text. The line engravings that appear in prehistoric and historic Korean sites and artifacts can be understood as the pictorial record used before the advent of written language. In China where written text was developed and popularized from early period, text is engraved on bronzeware with various images. As more text is engraved, the number of images decreases, suggesting that such communicative property of the images was gradually replaced with that of the texts. This may also be the reason why the Gakseok engravings were continued to be produced until the end of the medieval times in Inner Asian regions where oral tradition was dominant. Dragons that appear as a subject of line engravings bring up the possibility that such engraving process included religious and shamanistic characteristics. Despite the spread of the written language, Shilla people’s beliefs in the shamanistic functions and effects of pictorial records seem to have encouraged the line engravings to be made. Line engravings in Cheonjeonri Gakseok should be re-evaluated as a resource showing the developments of Shilla’s written and drawn records.