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Late-Occurring Handaxes in Korea: Their Homogeneity and Variability

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Abstract

Bifacially worked tools, which are formally categorized as handaxes, are increasingly found in Korea (present-day South Korea). By reviewing recently updated literature, this paper argues that Korean handaxes are unlikely to be true Acheulean handaxes from west of the Movius Line (ML), only partly sharing morphological affinities. A growing body of archaeological data in Korea provides an opportunity for a close examination of the enduring questions, although it does not offer straightforward answers. Korean handaxes show juxtaposed features; variables do not consistently match the pro and cons of affinity of the handaxes from west of the ML. The partial overlap of shapes with the specimens from the neighboring region and from west of the ML is not evidence for cultural transmission of tradition; therefore, the historical lineage across time and space ought to be reconsidered.

Résumé

Les outils taillés sur deux faces, formellement classés comme hachereaux, sont de plus en plus retrouvés en Corée (l’actuelle Corée du Sud). En étudiant les dernières publications actualisées, cet article avance que les hachereaux coréens ne sont probablement pas de vrais hachereaux acheuléens provenant de l’ouest de la ligne de Movius, qui ne partagent qu’en partie les affinités morphologiques. Un nombre croissant de données archéologiques en Corée offre l’occasion d’examiner de près les questions persistantes, bien qu’elles n’offrent pas de réponses directes. Les hachereaux coréens présentent des caractéristiques juxtaposées. Les variables ne correspondent pas systématiquement aux avantages et aux inconvénients de l’affinité des hachereaux de l’ouest de la ligne de Movius. Le chevauchement partiel des formes avec les spécimens de la région voisine et de l’ouest de la ligne de Movius n’est pas une preuve de la transmission culturelle de la tradition. Par conséquent, la lignée historique à travers le temps et l’espace devrait être reconsidérée.

Resumen

Las herramientas que funcionan bifacialmente, que se catalogan formalmente como hachas de mano, se encuentran con frecuencia en Corea (la Corea del Sur actual). Mediante la revisión del material publicado actualizado recientemente, el presente documento argumenta que no es probable que las hachas de mano coreanas sean verdaderas hachas de mano achelenses procedentes de la parte occidental de la Línea de Movius (ML, por sus siglas en inglés), compartiendo sólo parcialmente afinidades morfológicas. Un creciente cuerpo de datos arqueológicos en Corea proporciona una oportunidad para realizar un examen más de cerca de cuestiones sempiternas, aunque no ofrece respuestas directas. Las hachas de mano coreanas muestran características yuxtapuestas; las variables no coinciden de manera coherente con los pros y los contras de afinidad de las hachas de mano de la parte occidental de la ML. El solapamiento parcial de formas en los especímenes de la región vecina y de la parte occidental de la ML no es una prueba de la transmisión cultural de la tradición; por consiguiente, debería reconsiderarse el linaje histórico a lo largo del tiempo y del espacio.

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Figure 1

Source: 1–2 ICPH (2009), 3–4 Choi and Kim (2008), 5–6 Lee and Lee (2007), 7–8 Lee et al. (2004a), 9 Lee et al. (2011), 10 Kim et al. (2012)

Figure 2

Map is from MOLIT (2010)

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  1. Department of Archaeology and Cultural Anthropology, Chonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju City, Jeollabuk-do, 54896, Republic of Korea

    Hyeong Woo Lee

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Lee, H.W. Late-Occurring Handaxes in Korea: Their Homogeneity and Variability. Arch 13, 489–534 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11759-017-9326-6

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