A Study on the Characteristics of Animal Bones Excavated from the Site of the Workshop in Unified Silla Period, Gyeongju : Based on the animal bones at excavated in Nodong-dong No. 12

This study reanalyzes animal bones excavated from site in Nodong-dong No.12 to examine their characteristics. The site has revealed various domestic structures and artifacts related to workshops, confirming its function as a production area. Numerous disassembly marks found on the excavated animal bones suggest their use within this workshop context. Analysis of a total of 277 animal bones identified 13 species, with cattle and horses accounting for 70% of the findings. The majority of these animals were determined to be in their adults age, indicating selective slaughter practices. Based on the findings from Nodong-dong, this research compares the usage patterns and characteristics of animal bones from two other production sites in Gyeongju: Site in Seongdong-dong No. 386-6 and Site in Hwangnam-dong No. 376. All three sites exhibited a high proportion of cattle and horses, reflecting a shift in production and demand patterns compared to the Three Kingdoms period. Notably, only Nodong-dong No.12 had revealed phalanges, suggesting simultaneous disassembly and disposal, indicating a mixed use of animal bones in both workshop and residential contexts, and it is considered a private workshop for the ruling class. Additionally, the presence of cut marks on skulls across all sites indicates the utilization of brain, potentially for the leather tanning process. The disassembly methods observed appear to have continued from the Three Kingdoms period. These skull marks suggest that there was a significant demand for horse and cattle hides during the Unified Silla period, individual leather production processes existed in each workshop for the ruling class. Future accumulation of more data on animal bones from the Unified Silla period is anticipated to provide clearer insights into the patterns and methods of animal resource utilization during this era.