Korean Archaeological Society
Encyclopedia
The Korean Archaeological Society is a professional and scholarly association of archaeologists in the Republic of Korea. The Society publishes the peer-reviewed 'Journal of the Korean Archaeological Society' (Hanguk Kogo-Hakbo, Hanja
: 韓國考古學報). This journal is the Korean equivalent of scholarly archaeological journals such as American Antiquity
, Kaogu
, Antiquity
, and Kokogaku Kenkyu. The Society also hosts a national conference every year in early November.
This storied organization has been around in one form or another since the Koreanization of archaeology began in the wake of colonial period of Korea (c. 1910-1945). Antecedents of the Korean Archaeological Society include the 'Korean Art Historical Society' (Hanguk Misulsa Hakhwoe) and 'Korean Archaeology and Ancient Art History Society' (Gogo Misul Dongin Hwoe, Hanja
:考古美術同人會), the latter of which was formed in 1961. The first issue of the journal 'Archaeology and Ancient Art History' (Gogo Misul, Hanja
: 考古美術) was published the previous year. In 1968 the name of the journal was changed to 'Studies in Art History' (Misulsahak Yeongu, Hanja
: 美術史硏究).
Yet another competing group emerged in 1967: the 'Association of Korean Archaeology' (Hanguk Gogohak Hyeophoe, Hanja:韓國考古學協會). This group was led by the ancient-historian/archaeologist Kim Gi-ung of Dong-A University
.
for a conference and formed what is essentially the modern version of the Korean Archaeological Society. However, the name adopted in the meeting: 'The Society of Korean Archaeological Studies' (Hanguk Gogohak Yeongu Hakhoe) slightly differs from the name used today. During the same meeting, they solemnly dissolved the old 'Association of Korean Archaeology'. Kim Won-yong was installed as the first President of the Society. The regular publication of Hanguk Gogo-Hakbo began from this time.
In 1986 the Korean Archaeological Society adopted its present name.
. The current President of the Korean Archaeological Society is the Professor Choi Byeong-hyeon of the Department of History, Sungsil University. President Choi was installed in mid-2006. The Past President of the Korean Archaeological Society is the Professor Lee Baek-kyu of Gyeongbuk National University
in Daegu.
The society has several thousand individual members in the Republic of Korea who are composed of regular (i.e. professors, instructors, researchers) and student members. University libraries around the world subscribe to the 'Journal of the Korean Archaeological Society' as institutional members. Most of the hundred or so individual members from outside Korea live in Japan
. This is emblematic of the good work that Korean and Japanese professional archaeologists have accomplished in establishing friendly and mutually beneficial relations.
The Korean Archaeological Society has actively lobbied Korean governments, central and provincial, on important matters related to the preservation and protection of Korean cultural heritage. They also offer periodic professional workshops for the edification and benefit of archaeologists in Korea.
The majority of those who read and contributed articles to the journal until the 1990s were ancient historians and historical archaeologists. As such, the subject matter dealt with in the journal was heavily weighted to the Korean Three Kingdoms Period and culture. In the last 15 years the scope of Korean salvage and academic archaeological excavations has widened considerably, and thus the content of the journal has changed to reflect that. Now the journal has published articles ranging chronologically from the Korean Palaeolithic to the Jeulmun
, Mumun
, and Protohistoric
periods.
Hanja
Hanja is the Korean name for the Chinese characters hanzi. More specifically, it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation...
: 韓國考古學報). This journal is the Korean equivalent of scholarly archaeological journals such as American Antiquity
American Antiquity
The professional journal American Antiquity is published by the Society for American Archaeology, the largest organization of professional archaeologists of the Americas in the world. The journal is considered to be the flagship journal of American archaeology.American Antiquity is a quarterly...
, Kaogu
Kaogu
Kaogu is a peer-reviewed academic journal of Chinese archaeology. The journal was established in 1955, appearing irregularly. Regular publication started in 1959 but was temporarily suspended between 1966–1971, during the Cultural Revolution...
, Antiquity
Antiquity (journal)
Antiquity is an academic journal dedicated to the subject of archaeology. It publishes four editions a year, covering topics worldwide from all periods. Its current editor is Martin Carver, Emeritus Professor of Archaeology at the University of York....
, and Kokogaku Kenkyu. The Society also hosts a national conference every year in early November.
This storied organization has been around in one form or another since the Koreanization of archaeology began in the wake of colonial period of Korea (c. 1910-1945). Antecedents of the Korean Archaeological Society include the 'Korean Art Historical Society' (Hanguk Misulsa Hakhwoe) and 'Korean Archaeology and Ancient Art History Society' (Gogo Misul Dongin Hwoe, Hanja
Hanja
Hanja is the Korean name for the Chinese characters hanzi. More specifically, it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation...
:考古美術同人會), the latter of which was formed in 1961. The first issue of the journal 'Archaeology and Ancient Art History' (Gogo Misul, Hanja
Hanja
Hanja is the Korean name for the Chinese characters hanzi. More specifically, it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation...
: 考古美術) was published the previous year. In 1968 the name of the journal was changed to 'Studies in Art History' (Misulsahak Yeongu, Hanja
Hanja
Hanja is the Korean name for the Chinese characters hanzi. More specifically, it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation...
: 美術史硏究).
Origins of the Korean Archaeological Society
The year 1967 also marked the foundation of another academic society by Kim Je-won, the Head of the Korean National Museum, along with a small coterie of scholars including Kim Won-yong, Kim Jeong-gi, Yun Mu-byeong, Han Byeong-sam, Im Hyo-jae, and several others (Yoon 2006:265). These scholars were concerned about publicizing archaeological excavations in Korea more than anything else, and together they published the first issue of a journal called 'Archaeology' (Gogohak) in 1968. Subsequent issues were published occasionally between 1969 and 1979.Yet another competing group emerged in 1967: the 'Association of Korean Archaeology' (Hanguk Gogohak Hyeophoe, Hanja:韓國考古學協會). This group was led by the ancient-historian/archaeologist Kim Gi-ung of Dong-A University
Dong-A University
Dong-A University is a major private university in Korea. The university's campuses are based in Greater Busan, the second-largest city in South Korea. About 19,000 students are enrolled...
.
Consolidation
In 1976, Kim Won-yong and 38 other scholars met at Korea UniversityKorea University
Korea University is a prestigious nonsectarian, private research university located primarily in Seoul, South Korea, and one of the SKY universities, a historical acronym used in South Korea to refer to Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University. Founded by Lee Yong-ik in...
for a conference and formed what is essentially the modern version of the Korean Archaeological Society. However, the name adopted in the meeting: 'The Society of Korean Archaeological Studies' (Hanguk Gogohak Yeongu Hakhoe) slightly differs from the name used today. During the same meeting, they solemnly dissolved the old 'Association of Korean Archaeology'. Kim Won-yong was installed as the first President of the Society. The regular publication of Hanguk Gogo-Hakbo began from this time.
In 1986 the Korean Archaeological Society adopted its present name.
21st Century Korean Archaeological Society
The Society is hosted and run on a rotating basis by university departments and other institutions for a period of approximately 1-2 years. The current host of the Society is the Department of History at Sungsil University, SeoulSeoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
. The current President of the Korean Archaeological Society is the Professor Choi Byeong-hyeon of the Department of History, Sungsil University. President Choi was installed in mid-2006. The Past President of the Korean Archaeological Society is the Professor Lee Baek-kyu of Gyeongbuk National University
Kyungpook National University
Kyungpook National University , abbreviated as Kyungdae, is a leading national university in Daegu, South Korea. The university is one of 10 Flagship Korean National Universities. It is one of the three best recognized and oldest national universities with Seoul National University and Pusan...
in Daegu.
The society has several thousand individual members in the Republic of Korea who are composed of regular (i.e. professors, instructors, researchers) and student members. University libraries around the world subscribe to the 'Journal of the Korean Archaeological Society' as institutional members. Most of the hundred or so individual members from outside Korea live in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. This is emblematic of the good work that Korean and Japanese professional archaeologists have accomplished in establishing friendly and mutually beneficial relations.
The Korean Archaeological Society has actively lobbied Korean governments, central and provincial, on important matters related to the preservation and protection of Korean cultural heritage. They also offer periodic professional workshops for the edification and benefit of archaeologists in Korea.
Hanguk Kogo-Hakbo, 'The Journal of the Korean Archaeological Society'
The Korean Archaeological Society published its 60th issue of Hanguk Kogo-Hakbo with a 30th anniversary issue in Autumn 2006.The majority of those who read and contributed articles to the journal until the 1990s were ancient historians and historical archaeologists. As such, the subject matter dealt with in the journal was heavily weighted to the Korean Three Kingdoms Period and culture. In the last 15 years the scope of Korean salvage and academic archaeological excavations has widened considerably, and thus the content of the journal has changed to reflect that. Now the journal has published articles ranging chronologically from the Korean Palaeolithic to the Jeulmun
Jeulmun pottery period
The Jeulmun Pottery Period is an archaeological era in Korean prehistory that dates to approximately 8000-1500 BC.. It is named after the decorated pottery vessels that form a large part of the pottery assemblage consistently over the above period, especially 4000-2000 BC. Jeulmun means...
, Mumun
Mumun pottery period
The Mumun pottery period is an archaeological era in Korean prehistory that dates to approximately 1500-300 BC This period is named after the Korean name for undecorated or plain cooking and storage vessels that form a large part of the pottery assemblage over the entire length of the period, but...
, and Protohistoric
Samhan
The Samhan period of Korean history comprises confederacies of Mahan, Jinhan, and Byeonhan in central and southern Korean peninsula, during the final century BCE and the early centuries CE....
periods.
See also
- Society for American ArchaeologySociety for American ArchaeologyThe Society for American Archaeology is the largest organization of professional archaeologists of the Americas in the world. The Society was founded in 1934 and today has over 7000 members. The Society holds an annual conference and publishes the flagship journal of American archaeology,...
: leading archaeological society in the Americas - The Prehistoric SocietyThe Prehistoric SocietyThe Prehistoric Society is an international learned society devoted to the study of the human past from the earliest times until the emergence of written history....
: a British organization