Ancient Human Migration and Settlement and Diaspora Archaeology: Korean Peninsula and its surrounding areas

This paper discusses the human migration and settlement of ancient populations on the Korean Peninsula and its adjacent areas in the prehistoric and early historical times and examines one of the major research trends, the diaspora archaeology. Variations and scholarly definitions of migration, settlement, and diaspora are briefly discussed and the archaeological methodology for confirming them is reviewed. Based on this, the archaeological evidence of human migration and settlement in ancient Northeast Asia is comprehensively reviewed and discussed, with focus on the Korean Peninsula and surrounding areas. Along with archaelogical data suggesting the migration of new population, the aspects of cultural conflict and integration are also examined. Important cases in which ancient Chinese records refer to the human migration on the Korean Peninsula are discussed based on archaeological evidence of the relevant period and region. In particular, archaeological feasibility of the population movement is discussed while reviewing the cases of Buyeo, Goguryeo, and Baekje, each of which has brief records of migration of founding groups in the state formation process. In regions and eras with abundant written records, it is relatively easy to comprehend the specific aspects of human migration and settlement. It is challenging, however, to discuss migration, settlement, conflict, and integration in detail using only archaeological data in the prehistoric and early historical times. The purpose of this study is to understand the various characteristics of migrating populations and their socio-cultural contributions to the cultural development of ancient societies on the Korean Peninsula and its adjacent areas. It is hoped that this study will provide an opportunity to reevaluate the complexity, multiculturalism, diversity, and flexible cultural identity of ancient society.