Korea's 16th-century guns unearthed in southern waters

A rare find of guns from the 16th century has been discovered in South Korea’s southern waters, along with stone bullets and celadon pieces from the Goryeo period, officials said Wednesday.

The National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage conducted an underwater survey off Jin Island and found three guns believed to have been used by Korea‘s naval forces led by Admiral Yi Sun-shin during the Japanese invasion of Korea in 1592, the research institute said.

The discovery is all the more meaningful because this year marks the 420th anniversary of the outbreak of the war, it added.

The guns, 58 centimeters long and 3 centimeters in diameter, bear inscriptions in Chinese characters that they are “Sososeungja Chongtong (Gun)” made in 1588 by an artisan surnamed Yoon for the Jeolla Left Navy.

Yi, famed for designing the turtle ship, or Geobukseon, achieved a great victory against the Japanese navy in the waters off Jin Island as commander of the Left Navy in 1597.

“It is almost sure that the guns are related to Joseon Admiral Yi Sun-shin and his great victory in the Myeongryang Strait judging from the fact that they were produced just before the Imjin war by the Jeolla Left Navy and discovered near the historical site of the victory,” the institute said in a statement. “The discovery will serve as an important chance to study the Imjin war and Korea’s history of developing weapons and the historical nature of the Jeolla Left Navy.”

The “Sososeungja Chongtong” appears to be similar to “Seungja Chongtong,” firearms made for private use in the middle of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), but nothing is known about the name “Sososeungja,” officials said.

The existence of the underwater relics came to light when a ring of thieves was caught in November of last year illegally excavating Goryeo celadon pieces from that area.

When fragments of celadon were found in an preliminary survey, the institute began a full survey of the area.

Also found during the survey were stone bullets, 8.6 centimeters in diameter, presumed to have been used by the Korean navy during the Imjin war, and various types of pale green-blue celadon work from the Goryeo Dynasty (916-1932), the institute said.

One of the celadon pieces -- a giraffe-shaped cap of an incense burner -- is as good as the same type of celadon designated as National Treasure No. 65, it added.

“Those high-quality celadon pieces are believed to have been made in Gangjin between the late 12th century and early 13th century for use by the royal family or nobles,” it said.

The Cultural Heritage Administration said it will designate the area as an important cultural heritage and begin a second underwater survey in May when water temperatures typically begin to rise. (Yonhap News)



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남해 도굴꾼, 최고급 고려청자 발견 ‘대박’

지난해 11월 서울경찰청 광역수사대와 문화재청 안전기준과는 문화재 전문도굴단을 검거했다. 이들이 팔려던 고려청자 출처를 조사하는 과정에서 이들 유물이 진도 오류리 해저라는 사실을 밝혀냈다.

이렇게 해서 문화재청 산하 국립해양문화재연구소는 씨뮤즈호라는 탐사선을 이용해 이 해역 일대에 대한 긴급 탐사를 실시해 청자접시 등 32점을 수습했다. 적지 않은 해저 유물이 매장돼 있을 것임을 예고한 것이다.

이에 연구소는 지난달 4일 1차 발굴조사에 착수했다.

조사대상지는 450×200m 구역으로 설정하고 이를 다시 10×10m 작은 구역으로 나누어 정밀조사에 들어갔다. 구역별로 30cm~1m 깊이로 흙을 제거해 나간 결과 탐사조사 15%, 발굴조사 0.8%를 완료한 상황에서 누구도 예상치 못한 성과를 냈다. 이순신이 이끄는 조선수군이 임진왜란에서 사용한 것으로 추정되는 총통 유물을 찾아냈는가 하면, 고려청자의 최고급 유물을 건져낸 것이다.

하지만 조사가 쉽지는 않았다. 오류리 앞 쩍끔만(彎)과 주변 해역은 수심이 3.5~20m에 수온은 13℃ 정도였지만, 수중 가시거리는 0m였으며 조류가 제일 약할 때도 가시거리는 최대 10~30cm였다. 사실상 암흑이나 마찬가지인 해저 상황이었다.

이번 발굴성과는 도굴꾼이 직접 단초를 열었다는 점에서 주꾸미잡이 과정에서 보고된 태안 마도 앞바다 해저발굴과 비교될 만하다. (연합뉴스)