The relics of Gyeongju National Museum were displayed in chronological order. As entering into the museum, the relics of the bronze age were displayed at the entrance.
What I saw first was a piece of wooden boat. It was really amazing thing that this wooden piece could have lasted beneath the earth for 2 thousand years at least.
Some one could say that this piece had nothing important in academic or realistic perspective. But as soon as looking at this small piece of wood, I felt something hot in my mind.
It looked as if I had a direct communication with people who had made this ship.
The representative relics in the bronze age were the stone tools in Korean peninsular. The bronze tool seemed to have been used for the ceremony or for showing the authority of the rulers.
The phenomenon and the characteristics of the bronze age were various according to the regions all over the world. Each region has it’s unique and specific character.
In Korean peninsular, the delicate stone tools were widely used for usual tools of daily life.
In excavation site of the bronze age, the main objects were the delicate stone tools.
The representative bronze relics were the sword in Korean peninsular. The sword which have been found in Korean peninsular has it’s unique characteristics. The shape of the sword is quite different from others. The appearance of the sword looked like an music instrument, ‘Bipa’
The ‘Bipa’ type of bronze sword is estimated as a symbol of political power. This type of bronze sword have been excavated only in Korean peninsular and Manchuria. The scholars estimate the Bipa style bronze sword as the decisive proof to confirm the differences of the origin of the culture and the history between Korea and China.
In bronze age, there seemed to be existed Gochoson as a form of Chiefdom. The ‘Bipa’ type of the bronze sword is believed as a symbol of political power of Chiefdom which had existed in Korean peninsular and Manchuria.
So It is very important to study the history of Manchurial and Central Asia to understand history of Korea. Korean history could be well understand in the perspective view in these reason.
In the museum, one bronze sword of ‘Bipa’ style was displayed with a perfect feature.
It was amazing that this sword could have kept it's perfect feature under the ground for more than 2 thousand years.
Most of swords which had been excavated was corroded severely like below.
It was interesting to look at the sword imagining stories relating to the sword.
Who was an owner of this sword ?
May be the owner of this sword was a political leader of a chiefdom which had been existed in the area of Gyeongju city before Shilla Dynasty.
Thank you for reading