Light - Whispers of Ancient Mirrors

A bronze mirror excavated from the Je-dong Tombs in Hampyeong was an object that had come from Japan. It was made in the early fifth century, used for a long time, and eventually buried with its owner. An old question resurfaces: Who were the people living in the Yeongsan River basin 1,500 to 2,000 years ago? Were they really our ancestors?

Artifacts associated with the Japanese archipelago began to appear in earnest after the fall of Hanseong Baekje. If the immigrants who came to Japan during the Kofun period were different from those who arrived during the Yayoi period—and even different from the people living in the southern Korean Peninsula today—then could the population referred to as “Wa” have been some other group that left no trace in the historical record? Who, then, were these people, who possessed DNA originating from the Yellow River basin as well as a distinctive culture?

The ancient history of the Korean Peninsula remains shrouded in darkness. I believe this is because sufficient investigation and research have yet to be carried out.

• 국립나주박물관 편, 『빛, 고대 거울의 속삭임: 2024 국립나주박물관 특별전』, 국립나주박물관, 2024.
• URL: https://naju.museum.go.kr/prog/acdcMats/A/kor/sub06_01/view.do

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