Proto–Three Kingdoms period

Long ago, many groups lived in Korea.

They used iron to make tools. These tools were strong and sharp. They helped people farm the land.

People also made clay pots. The pots were grey. They had patterns on them.

Groups traded things with others. They sent iron to far lands.

New tools helped leaders gain power. This changed how people lived. It was a time of big changes.

Long ago, a new time began in Korea. This was after the fall of Old Chosŏn. It lasted for about three hundred years. In the north, many small groups lived. One group was Goguryeo. It grew very strong over time. It took over its neighbors. In the south, groups called the Samhan lived. These groups were Jinhan, Byeonhan, and Mahan.

People used iron to make many things. Iron made tools for farming. It also made sharp weapons. These tools helped leaders gain more power. People also made grey clay pots. These pots had pretty patterns.

Trade was very important too. People sent iron from the Nakdong River. They sent it to Japan and China. Many items have been found in old graves. These include bronze mirrors and coins. They also found tiger-shaped buckles. This shows that people traveled and traded. These changes helped lead to the Three Kingdoms. These were the big kingdoms of Goguryeo, Paekche, and Silla.

The Proto-Three Kingdoms period was a very important time in Korea. It happened after the fall of Old Chosŏn. This era lasted for the first three hundred years of the Common Era. It is also called the Samhan period. During this time, the land was changing. Small groups of people were growing into big kingdoms. This was part of the Korean Iron Age. These changes helped shape the future of the whole peninsula.

New technology changed how people lived every day. People learned to use iron for many tasks. They made stronger and sharper tools for farming. They also made better weapons for protection. Iron helped leaders gain more wealth and power. This helped different groups join together into larger states. People also made grey earthenware pottery. These clay pots had special beaten patterns on them.

In the north, many different groups lived and fought. The Han people took over Old Chosŏn in 108 BC. They set up four commanderies in the area. Some of these fell to Korean resistance. A group called Goguryeo began to grow very strong. Some records say it started in 75 BC. Other traditions say it began in 37 BC. Goguryeo eventually took over its neighbors. It destroyed the last Chinese commandery in 313.

In the south, things were different but also changing. A state called Jin gave rise to the Samhan. The Samhan included Jinhan, Byeonhan, and Mahan. A kingdom called Baekje was founded in 18 BC. It grew by taking over Mahan territory. Silla was founded by joining six chiefdoms in Jinhan. Some say this happened in 57 BC. Later, the Byeonhan group became the Kaya confederacy. Silla eventually took over the Kaya lands.

Trade connected these people to the wider world. People from the Nakdong River basin exported iron. They sent this iron to China and Japan. We know this from the Records of the Three Kingdoms. Archaeologists find many items in old tombs. They find Chinese bronze mirrors and coins. They also find tiger-shaped and horse-shaped buckles. Some items like Yayoi pottery came from Wa. These finds show that many cultures met and traded.

The Proto-Three Kingdoms period is a vital era in Korean history. It is also known as the Samhan period. This period occurred after the fall of Old Chosŏn. It lasted through the first three centuries of the Common Era. This time represents the later phase of the Korean Iron Age. During these years, small groups began to transform into large kingdoms. This era set the stage for the famous Three Kingdoms period. It was a time of great political and technological change.

In the north, the political landscape was very complex. After the Han conquest of Gojoseon in 108 BC, new states emerged. These included Buyeo, Goguryeo, Okjeo, and the Eastern Ye. China established four commanderies in the former Old Chosŏn territory. However, three of these commanderies fell quickly due to Korean resistance. Goguryeo was a major power during this time. Chinese records mention Goguryeo as early as 75 BC. Traditional dates suggest its founding was in 37 BC. Eventually, Goguryeo absorbed its neighbors and destroyed the final Chinese commandery in 313.

The southern part of the peninsula followed a different path. A state known as Jin gave rise to the Samhan. The Samhan consisted of three loose confederacies: Jinhan, Byeonhan, and Mahan. These groups were slowly replaced by rising kingdoms. Baekje was founded in 18 BC within Mahan territory. It began a slow process of overtaking that land. Silla was formed by unifying six chiefdoms in the Jinhan confederacy. Some traditions date Silla's founding to 57 BC. Later, the Byeonhan confederacy became the Kaya confederacy. Eventually, the kingdom of Silla annexed the Kaya lands.

Technology played a massive role in how these societies grew. The widespread production of iron artifacts changed daily life. People used iron for many common items. They also produced grey earthenware pottery with beaten patterns. The introduction of iron technology was a turning point. It allowed for the manufacture of stronger and sharper weapons. It also led to better agricultural tools. These tools helped farmers produce more food. This increased wealth and power helped leaders integrate different groups into larger states.

Archaeology provides many clues about how these people lived. Finds come from Nangnang and Goguryeo in the north. In the south, many items come from the Samhan regions. On the southern coast, iron was made at shell midden sites. These middens are areas where shells and waste accumulated. Researchers find many different styles of objects at these sites. They find artifacts from the Korean Bronze Dagger culture. They also find items from Han Chinese and Northern Steppe cultures. This shows that these early states interacted extensively with many neighbors.

Trade was a major part of the economy during this era. The "Annals of the Three Kingdoms" documents this activity. It states that people in the Nakdong River basin exported iron. This iron was sent to the Lelang Commandery and to Wakoku, also known as Japan. Archaeological evidence supports these trade connections. Researchers find items from China, Wa, and Manchuria in the Nakdong River area. This proves that the region was a busy center for moving goods. The movement of iron helped connect distant cultures through commerce.

Specific artifacts found in tombs reveal much about cultural contact. In the south, archaeologists find Chinese bronze mirrors and coins. They also find three-legged bronze ritual vessels and bronze buckles. In the northern provinces, items include bronze 'Fu' vessels. They also find unique tiger-shaped and horse-shaped buckles. From the culture of Wa, researchers have found Yayoi pottery. They have also found jar coffins and bronze spearheads. These diverse objects show that the Proto-Three Kingdoms period was a highly connected era.