The Development of Daegaya

Since the mid-fourth century, Daegaya among other Gaya states began to gradually be distinguished. Around the late fifth century, Daegaya became the most eminent force among them. What were the bases and opportunities which enabled the growth of Daegaya?

In academic circles, the transfer of leading power from Geumgwan-guk in Gimhae to Daegaya in Goryeong has been explained by the Goguryeo’s debouchment to the Nakdonggang which occurred in the 400s.

That is, the Gimhae force which was defeated by the Goguryeo army came to decline, while the Gaya force, which did not suffer the damage of the war and existed in the inland centering around Goryeong, came to lead the late Gaya period.

However, the view that the Gimhae force rapidly declined is not necessarily correct because war can function as a prime mover of evolution. Especially, considering the result of excavation in the Daeseong-dong Mounded Tomb Group of Gimhae, the Gimhae force existed as a strong Gaya state until the early fifth century. Accordingly, the growth factors of Daegaya in Goryeong should also be found in other aspects.

There was an incident that provided Daegaya with an opportunity of development in the fourth century. The existence of Gara (Daegaya) is identified in ‘the article on the conquest of the seven states’ of Ilbonseogi (Chronicle of Japan). In the article,

Gaya was regarded as an existence compared to South Gara in Gimhae. It seems that in 369 when the conquest was carried out, Goryeong Gaya already appeared as a chief political force among several Gaya states.

Wae tried to exchange with the Korean peninsula so as to introduce its advanced civilization, such as iron. Iron was mainly imported through Gaya and others were imported from Gaya, Baekje and China. However, since Goguryeo controlled Nanglang and Daebang Wae was unable to exchange with China. Hence,

Wae came to heavily depend on Gaya and Baekje, its traditional friendly states. Goryeong is a region which provides a water route which enables to arrive in other regions by using the Nakdonggang.

Goryeong is connected with several inland regions, including Geochang and Hamyang. It is also linked to other regions, such as Muju, Jangsu, Yimsil and Namwon, which are situated under the Sobaeksanmaek. In the north direction, it is connected not only to Seongju and Gimcheon but also to Hwanggan and Yeongdong near the Chupungryeong. In the east direction, it is linked to Daegu which is situated on its opposite side centering around the Nakdonggang.

Such a geographical advantage of Goryeong was a base which enabled it to become the most powerful regional state among Gaya states since the fifth century. That is, Goryeong can more easily trade with other regions owing to such a geographical advantage. The absorption of advanced civilizations was also fast, compared to other Gaya states.

The main trade articles of Daegaya were iron, produced in the Yaro region of Hapcheon, and agricultural products, produced through a stable agricultural base. The fact that Daegaya had a strong defensive power to keep itself from external forces also explains partly its growth.

Large scale tumuli, such as the Jisan-dong Mounded Tomb Group, show the development sphere of Daegaya most clearly.

Daegaya attempted to expand to neighbouring Gaya regions, grounding on its own development. According to Ilbonseogi (Chronicle of Japan), in the early sixth Daegaya was antagonistic to Baekje because of Gimun (nowadays, Namwon and Yimsil) and Daesa (nowadays, Hadong). In the end, the Gimun region was deprived by Baekje, but the Daesa region was kept, and continually used as a trade place with Wae.

This shows that, at that time, Daegaya debouched to the Seomjingang as well as to neighbouring Hapcheon, Geochang, Hamyang and Sancheong.

Archeological relics, such as pottery, indicates that in the mid-fifth century Daegaya became a leading state of the alliance body which includes the Hwanggang valley and the upper stream region of the Namgang, and in the late fifth century developed to the stage which indirectly governs most of these regions.