The Economy of Daegaya

Originally, in the Goryeong region farming culture has a long tradition, whereas iron culture has a comparatively short tradition. Hence, so far such cultural elements as iron weapon, vessel made of tile-clay, old style stoneware pottery and pit tomb which were manufactured between the first and fourth century, only a few have been found in this region.

However, after the mid-fourth century Daegaya achieved rapid development owing to the introduction of advanced civilizations. Such development of Daegaya is identified from vertical digging stone lined tombs and their funerary objects which were manufactured since the fifth century.

Of the funerary objects of Daegaya, pottery and many metal relics are exhumed. Among metal relics, iron weapons form their mainstream and a good number of harness, panoplies and personal ornaments also occupy a comparatively high proportion. This indicates that Daegaya was receiving raw materials from iron mines and had a considerable level of smelting skills.

The iron produced in Yaro of Hapcheon provided Daegaya with an important base for its growth. According to Sejongsilrok (Veritable Record of King Sejong), a good quality of iron was affluently produced in the Yaro region (nowadays, Yaro-myeon and Gaya-myeon in Hapcheon-gun).

There are many place-names relating to iron manufacture, such as iron stream and iron nail, in the Yaro-myeon and Gaya-myeon area in Hapcheon-gun. There are also many traces of iron mines at the summit of the Bigyesan.

From the Three Hans period, the iron of Gaya was exported to neighbouring states, including Wae, Mahan and China. As the trade route with Wae was opened in the late fourth century, the iron of Yaro which was controlled by Daegaya was mainly exported to Wae which had no smelting skills, but witnessed a rapid increase in the use of iron at that time.

The production of iron provided Daegaya with a significant base to achieve epochal development. As a result, Daegaya became the most powerful state among several Gaya states between the mid- and late fifth century.

Another base, which provided Daegaya with an opportunity for development, was a stable agriculture. Ancient agricultural production was largely carried out in mountain valleys.

This fact is confirmed by the farm lands excavated. In the case of the Goryeong region, the condition of location for farming is very good. This is because the water of the small valleys which flow into the Daegacheon and the Allimcheon would have been used for a stable agricultural water.