A review of Korean Paleolithic archaeology in 1990s

1990년대 이후의 한국 구석기고고학 연구성과

During the last 10 more years, more than one hundred of Paleolithic sites were found in the most part of the Korena peninsula by very active third generation of Paleolithic archaeologists. It became quite sure that most parts of the peninsula was populated during the late Pleistocene. High concentratin of Paleolithic sites in the Chollanamdo Province will be one of the most important field of paleolithic archaeology along with the sites in the Hantan -Imjin river basin. The begining of Upper Paleolithic is quite likley sometime earlier than 30,000 BP and possibly upto 40,000 BP. Micorlithic technology was probably introduced into the peninsula sometime around 20,000 BP. It is quite striking that the Acheulean-typed stone industry from the Chongokni site could be older than 350,000 BP that was estimated by sedimentation rate on the basis of the interval between two different types of Japanese tephras found at the site. More Acheulean-typed bifaces were found in some sites in the Hantan-Imjin river basin. Tanged point which originally found at the Suyanggae site were found at many Upper Paleolithic sites and was made until quite late period of Upper Paleolithic along with micro-blade.