[Culture & Heritage] Mahan Tomb Complex Along Upper Gomakcheon Designated...

Hampyeong Yedeok-ri Tomb Complex. Photo by Korea Heritage Service.

The tomb complex in Yedeok-ri, Wolya-myeon, Hampyeong County, South Jeolla Province, has been designated as a state Historic Site under the name “Hampyeong Yedeok-ri Tomb Complex.” It is the first nationally designated historic site in Hampyeong County.

The site is located along the upper reaches of Gomakcheon, a tributary of the Yeongsan River, and dates from the late 3rd century to the early 5th century. Archaeological investigations confirmed 14 Mahan-period tombs alongside residential remains, pottery kilns, farmland traces, and ritual features. Burial spaces, living areas, production facilities, and ceremonial remains were identified within a single archaeological complex. The designated area covers 72,789 square meters across 54 land parcels.

The Yedeok-ri complex is also known as the “Manga-chon Tomb Complex.” The upper Gomakcheon region is regarded as an important area for examining the activities of Mahan groups in the Yeongsan River basin. The site contains a concentration of Mahan-style trapezoid-shaped mound tombs, known as Jehyeongbun. These earthen mound tombs feature ground plans shaped close to trapezoids, with 14 examples of varying size and form identified at the site. Researchers regard the complex as one of the most significant Mahan burial sites discovered in the Gomakcheon region in terms of both scale and quantity.

Artifacts excavated from the Hampyeong Yedeok-ri Tomb Complex. Photo by Korea Heritage Service.

Excavations conducted since 1994 documented the construction methods and expansion process of the tombs. Archaeologists identified horizontal expansion, in which new tombs were attached beside existing ones, as well as vertical expansion, where additional burials were constructed above earlier graves. The tombs were not completed in a single stage but were enlarged repeatedly over time.

The site also preserves evidence of “dajang,” a multi-burial practice in which several individuals were interred within a single mound. This burial method frequently appears in Mahan tombs and provides evidence of changing funerary customs. Early graves centered on wooden coffin and wooden chamber burials, while large jar coffins, characteristic of the Yeongsan River basin, later appeared alongside them and gradually expanded in scale. The transition from wooden burials to jar coffin burials is considered a key element in research on Mahan funerary systems.

The importance of the site extends beyond burial structures. Archaeologists identified seven residential remains, two pottery kilns, and two agricultural plots near the tombs. These remains provide evidence of settlement, production, and farming activities associated with the community that used the burial grounds. The coexistence of tombs and residential features within the same area allows researchers to examine how Mahan communities organized living and ceremonial spaces.

Aerial view of the designated protection zone surrounding the Hampyeong Yedeok-ri Tomb Complex. Photo by Korea Heritage Service.

Nine unusual ritual pits, known as ihyeong togaeng, were also discovered. Researchers interpret them as traces of wooden ritual posts erected during funerary ceremonies. Together with the tombs and multi-burial features, these ritual remains suggest that burial practices in Mahan society were closely connected to communal belief systems and ceremonial order.

Artifacts excavated from the site include jade ornaments such as sohwan-ok, gogok, and crystal beads, alongside iron axes, small hoes, pottery vessels, and jar coffin fragments. These materials provide evidence of status, production technology, agricultural activity, and regional funerary culture during the Mahan period.

The Yedeok-ri Tomb Complex is regarded as an important archaeological site for understanding the early development of Mahan burial culture in the Yeongsan River basin. Trapezoid-shaped mound tombs, multi-burial practices, expanding burial structures, ritual features, residential remains, and the transition from wooden coffins to jar coffins survive together within a single site, providing evidence of how Mahan communities organized burial, ritual, and everyday life over several generations.

Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press

* This article was manually prepared as a translated piece and later proofread and reviewed with the assistance of AI.