• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.146-159
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• 2019

This study focuses on the understanding of human subsistence and pottery use during ancient times on the Korean peninsula through lipid analysis of potsherds from several major prehistoric settlement sites. Ancient human subsistence has been one of the long-standing topics in Korean archaeology. However, since the high acidity of sediments does not allow long-term preservation of organic remains, we still lack some critical information related to the prehistoric diet. Pottery contains relatively well-preserved organic remains created during past cooking events. Though pottery is one of the most studied material cultures in Korean archaeology, almost no attention has been given to analyzing the pottery itself. This is a surprising omission and represents a serious gap in our understanding of prehistoric technology and subsistence. The analysis of ancient lipids extracted from the pottery matrix using GC-MS and isotope analysis can contribute to our understanding of the true nature of past subsistence strategies. Potsherd samples for the analyses in this study were collected from six prehistoric and early historic settlement sites located in the central part of the Korean peninsula. The results showed that subsistence strategies differed by both location and time period. For example, at Jungdo, an inland open-air Bronze Age settlement site in Chuncheon City, we were able to see the presence of terrestrial mammals. At Gahak-dong, Gwangmyeong City, marine resources were utilized, as the location of the site is not far from the coastline. At the early historic site of Guwol-dong, Incheon City, we were able to detect dairy products. The results of this study suggest that there was utilization of a wider range of resources among ancient dwellers in the central part of the Korean peninsula.

• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.296-318
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• 2015

The Bru-Van Kieu, one of ethnic minorities in Vietnam, have lived in the mountainous area along the border with Laos for centuries. Approximately by the end of the Second Indochina War, the Bru-Van Kieu were still a kinship-based and non-stratified societal group relying mainly on subsistence economy. Their traditional physical geography, nonetheless, has been transformed vigorously during the last few decades as a result of state-formation processes and changes in macro-economic policies. The paper aims to examine how ethnic minority adapt their livelihood to challenges instigated by macro political and economic processes. By examining livelihood adaptation of the Bru-Van Kieu, the study also identifies strategies that ethnic minorities use to negotiate with more powerful political and economic forces. The authors argue that the Bru-Van Kieu have deployed a strategy combining everyday resistance to maintain their limited social and cultural agencies and utilizing of these agencies in economic adaptation with other cross-ethnic non-state actors, enabling them to tap into new type of resources and opportunities.