Iron ingots (cheoljeong) of Gaya and Byeonhan
Lingotes de hierro (cheoljeong) de Gaya y Byeonhan
- Date
- c. siglos II-IV · confidence medium
- Place
- Gimhae, South Gyeongsang, South Korea
- Credited to
- Gaya confederacy (Byeonhan)
- Field
- Matter & energy
What it is
Standardised flat iron bars that circulated as a medium of exchange and were exported to the Han commanderies, Wa and the Korean kingdoms. The Daeseong-dong tombs and other Gaya cemeteries have yielded hundreds of ingots.
The Chinese Sanguozhi (3rd century) says Byeonhan produced iron that Han, Ye and Wa all took, and that it was used as money. Dating of the ingots rests on the funerary contexts of the Gimhae and Busan tombs.
What it led to
- Gaya's foreign trade with northern Korea, China and Japan
- basis of Gaya and Silla armour and horse barding
- transfer of iron technology to Yamato Japan