환도산성 및 한강유역 출토 철기에 나타난 고구려의 철기기술

Abstract

The present study has metallographically examined 10 iron artifacts from a private collection and 1 iron ax from the collection of the Seoul National University Museum. The private ones were supposedly recovered from the former Koguryo fortress called Hwandosanseong in Manchuria and the other from the former Koguryo military outpost at Mount Siroobong in the Han River basin. And the results were compared with those reported by Chinese scholars on the iron artifacts recently excavated from the Hwandosanseong. They were also compared with the results reported previously of the iron artifacts from two other Koguryo military outposts in the Han River basin, one at Mount Acha and one at Guidong. It has been suggested from their microstructure that they could be manufactured following 2 different processes distinguished by the order of such engineering sequences as shaping, steel making and heat-treatments. In the one case, shape-forging was carried out ahead of steel making and in the other steel making came before shape-forging. This difference, found closely associated with the varieties of iron smelting and steel making technologies available, is a clear indication of the Kogyuryo iron industry at a high level of technical flexibility and sophistication. A future study seems necessary to characterize the Koguryo iron technology in terms of its spatial and temporal variability within her territorial boundaries.