culture

In recent years, many historical relics and data showing the time-honoured history and excellent customs of the Korean people have been newly discovered and ascertained.

A research group of the History Faculty of Kim Il Sung University newly unearthed cave relics of the Palaeolithic era in Rimgyong Workers’ District of Kangdong County, Pyongyang. Among the remains discovered in the archaeological sites were seven fossils of Homo sapiens sapiens in the Palaeolithic age and many animal bone fossils and pollen fossils. The dating verified that the human fossils (teeth and pieces of a skull) belong to a woman who had lived in the latter part of the Palaeolithic age.

The Archaeology Society of the DPRK named the human fossils “Kangdong man”.

The first-ever discovery of “Kangdong man” in the stage of Homo sapiens sapiens in the area of Kangdong County of Pyongyang is of great significance in anthropologically clarifying that people had lived consecutively in the area since the dawn of human civilization to create a time-honoured history and culture.

A research group of the then Geology Faculty of Kim Il Sung University unearthed a bird fossil in the Mesozoic age in the Paektho-dong area of Sinuiju City, North Phyongan Province.

The “Paektho bird” fossil is the fossil of a bird which existed about 130 million years ago. It is a rare bird fossil which vividly preserves head and toe bones, 11 primary feathers of the wings and small barbs.

The fossil is of great academic value as it makes it possible to prove that Korea is also the cradle of birds.

Researchers of the Archaeological Institute of the Academy of Social Sciences and the Korea National Heritage Preservation Agency under the National Authority for the Protection of Cultural Heritage unearthed historical sites and relics in Kanggu-dong of Hyesan City, Ryanggang Province.

Over 260 relics of 17 kinds were excavated at two Neolithic dwelling sites and four Bronze Age dwelling sites.

Belonging to the latter part of the Neolithic age (6 000 years ago) and the Bronze Age (4 000 years ago) in Korea, the sites and relics prove that the Korean ancestors pioneered the area of Mt Paektu and settled there from the Neolithic age.

Last year, a research group of the Archaeological Institute of the Academy of Social Sciences discovered a salt production site (brine-storing and salt-making facilities), the first of its kind in the country, in the area of Wonup Workers' District in Onchon County, Nampho Municipality.

The Archaeology Society of the DPRK deliberated on the analysis of it and confirmed that the upper cultural layer was the place where the Korean ancestors had made salt by boiling down sea water in the Bronze Age (5 000 years ago) and the lower cultural layer was where they did so in the Neolithic age (5 500 years ago).

Historical sites and relics dating back to the period of Koguryo, widely known as a powerful state which existed in the East for nearly a thousand years, were unearthed and significant study findings on them were published.

An academic research group of the History Faculty of Kim Il Sung University conducted the excavation and historical study of the sites and relics dating back to the period of Koguryo in the Rimhung-dong area of Taesong District, Pyongyang, between 1991 and 2020. In the course of it, the group shed fresh light on the fact that Koguryo had taken the area as an important regional stronghold from the early 1st century and created a developed culture after moving its capital to the Walled City of Pyongyang.

In the area the group found out parts of a building site, two wells (Wells Nos. 1 and 2), one underground brick structure, many pieces of roof tiles and earthenware, etc. of Koguryo.

It elucidated that the broken pieces of stone paduk(go) board discovered for the first time in Well No. 1 are parts of the paduk board with 19 lines belonging to the earliest period in the world and that the Koguryo paduk board with five starting points in one line was carried on to the later period through Koryo.

Researchers of the Archaeological Institute of the Academy of Social Sciences unearthed Koguryo tombs and relics in the Wolji-ri area of Anak County of South Hwanghae Province and, in 2021, discovered nine earthen tombs with stone chambers and many other relics dating back to the Koguryo period, thus enriching the treasure house of national cultural heritage.

Positive efforts were made to discover fine manners and customs of the Korean people and register them as intangible cultural heritage elements.

More than 10 objects including the custom of moving into new houses, legends of Mt Kuwol and folk instrumental music Sinau were inscribed on the list of national intangible cultural heritage. Coriander kimchi, pheasant meat boiled in water, the custom of using matrimony vine fruit in Kyongsong and others were registered as local ICH elements thanks to the efforts of the people across the country to preserve the excellent cultural traditions and their local characteristics.