Preliminary examination on the value of Amsadong Site in the perspective of Outstanding Universal Value

Abstract

The Amsadong Site, which were discovered as the Great Flood in 1925, is a representative Neolithic site on the Korean Peninsula, and is already designated and protected as a nationallydesignated cultural heritage due to their importance and significance. Recently, the value of the Amsadong site has been newly recognized and used as a socio-cultural resource, and preparations for the nomination of World Heritage based on the value and significance of the site. According to research on the Amsadong site, it would be the earliest Neolithic site in the Midwest of the Korean Peninsula, and is a representative site of the Korean Peninsula that shows Neolithic culture that emerged in the process of adapting to a new climate in Holocene. In particular, the pottery culture, which is represented by comb-patterned pottery excavated from the Amsadong Site, is a archaeological evidence that proves the universality of East Asian earthenware culture that changes into a new decoration technique and the process of differentially occurring, changing, developing, and spreading of comb-patterned pottery culture in the Korean Peninsula. In the early study of comb-pattern pottery culture, there was also a study of the diffusionism with Eurasian earthenware culture, but this is time to be reviewed through expanded research through multi-layered space setting including the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia. Comparing the value of Amsadong Site with criteria i)-vi), the nomination criteria of iii) and iv) can be met in consideration of differentiated pottery culture, new substance for adaptation to the changing environment, and the formation of settlement villages. However, in order to strategically promote the nomination as a World Heritage Site, it will be necessary to review the development of Neolithic pottires and comb-pattern pottery culture based on a wider space range, including the Korean Peninsula. In particular, for the serial nomination of World Heritage, it is necessary to review the outstanding and universal value through a review of Neolithic sites in the Midwest of the Korean Peninsula. The nomination of World Heritage is an effective way to protect and promote the value of the value of Amsadong Site, and we look forward to continuous efforts for World Heritage sites.