The Character of the Jinan Daeryang-ri Copper Smelting Site from an East Asian Perspective

This study aims to comprehensively analyze ancient copper (銅) production technology on the Korean Peninsula, focusing on the Jinan Daeryang-ri copper smelting site, from archaeological, metallurgical, and historical perspectives, and to reinterpret its significance within the broader context of East Asian metallurgical history. In Korea, due to a longstanding lack of physical evidence, the theory of sulfide ore smelting—derived from Japanese research— has been widely accepted without critical examination. It has generally been assumed that sulfide ores were used as the primary raw material for smelting since the Bronze Age. However, by comparing the Jinan Daeryang-ri site with the Chinese Tonglüshan site and the Japanese Naganobori site, this study proposes that the smelting furnaces at Jinan were also of the vertical shaft furnace (竪型爐) type and were more likely used for smelting oxidized copper ores. This interpretation is supported by metallurgical analysis, particularly the Cu/S ratios in the slag, which are mostly greater than 1, as well as the identification of copper and malachite compounds. Furthermore, a reexamination of historical records suggests that copper production in the Goryeo period was likely based on oxidized ores, and the sharp decline in copper production during the Joseon period may have resulted not only from state-imposed restrictions but also from a fundamental lack of technology for smelting sulfide ores.