The Character of Korean and Japanese Imitation Bronze Mirrors Seen through Similarities of Imitation — Focusing on the materials from the Proto-Three Kingdoms period (late Yayoi to the beginning of the Kofun period)

The purpose of this paper is to undertake a classification of the imitation bronze mirrors of the the Korean Peninsula and the Japanese Archipelago of the Proto-Three Kingdoms period (Yayoi-Kofun period) according to the degree of difference between them and the original bronze mirrors, and to consider the distinctive nature of the different types of imitation bronze mirrors. However, the term ‘imitation bronze mirror’ does not fully en-compass the diversity of these mirrors; in addition, it contains the meaning of ‘not’ being an original bronze mirror or ‘not’ being a bronze mirror bestowed upon local communities, and is seen to suggest a specific production location. Regarding this aspect, a preliminary review of the character of the bronze mirrors and the degree of imitation that reflects the intention of the subject who used it is necessary in order to fully understand the meaning of such mirrors that were created through acts of imitation. First, the practices of production associated with cases of imitation confirmed in the Korean Peninsula and the Japanese Archipelago during the period when imitation bronze mirrors were popular were identified, and based on similarities and dissimilarities of prac-tice, three types of imitation were established. Applying this to the actual artifacts, imitation bronze mirrors were broadly classified into three types (five in detail). Attempts were made to interpret the derived types by looking at their period of existence, as well as focusing on the period from the turn of the millennium to the late Proto-Three Kingdoms period when imitation bronze mirrors were most diverse in both regions. It was assumed that, when imitating the targeted original mirror, the value or character of the imitation mirror would be associated with the degree of similarity with the object of imitation. Since imitation bronze mirrors appeared for different purposes depending on the social background in the Korean Peninsula and the Japanese Archipelago, differences could be observed in terms of the degree of finishing and technique depending on the region. Accordingly, the higher the degree of imitation of he imitation of targeted mirror, the more similar their uses or characteristics appear. Conversely, as the characteristics change, they come to have various meanings depending on the needs of the local society.