A Study on the Typology and Formative Features of Korean Satgat Through Artifacts

This study investigates satgat, a Korean conical hat, by examining its materials and wearing practices while also establishing an artifact-based typology. For this purpose, documentary records, genre paintings, and modern-era photographs were reviewed. Additionally, 48 museum-held artifacts identified through eMuseum were selected for analysis; among them, nine particular artifacts were also examined through direct object-based observation. The primary materials of satgat are reed and bamboo, and the headgear was referred to by material-based names such as gal-satgat, norip, dae-satgat, yakrip, and jeomrip. In traditional society, satgat typically functioned as practical headgear for protection from sun and rain: its use was prominent in outdoor labor contexts among farmers, fishermen, and peddlers. It also appeared as an outdoor head covering for literati and as a face covering for women. Depending on manufacturing techniques, satgat can be classified into three types. Type 1, the most prevalent (37 out of 48 articles), is produced through a cross-weaving method in which strips are interlaced diagonally to form a conical shape. Type 2 (8 of 48) is constructed by arranging warp members radially and interlacing weft members downward. Type 3 (3 of 48) is made by coiling a broad band of straw or grass from the apex in a spiral and securing it through stitching. Direct examination confirmed that all three types share a common internal support element: the misari, which rests on the wearer’s head inside the hat. In addition, surface observation revealed reed joints, bamboo nodes, and grain patterns, empirically supporting the likelihood that satgat was constructed primarily from reed and bamboo. By integrating textual, visual, and photographic sources with artifact analysis, this study systematizes satgat types and their formal characteristics, provides foundational data for future research on satgat, and offers a basis for comparative studies of diverse conical hats.