Excavation 1,600 Pieces of Metal Movable Type in Pot from the Joseon dynasty in Gongpyeong-dong, Seoul

- The Old Hanyang Center… Heap of Various Metal Artifacts including Astronomical Clock from King Sejong era Excavated -

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With the permission of the Cultural Heritage Administration (Administrator Kim Hyun-mo), the Sudo Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (Director Oh Gyeong-tyaek) conducted an archaeological expedition in ‘the site of zone 15 and 16 of the Urban Environmental Maintenance Project in Gongpyeong-dong, Seoul (‘나’ area)’. A wide variety of metal artifacts were exposed in the form of being buried together including about 1,600 pieces of metal movable type manufactured in the early Joseon dynasty in a pot, Jujeon (engraved a visual scale to indicate the time on a water clock) made between the Sejong and Jungjong period, an Ilseongjeongsiui (日星定時儀_astronomical clock) produced during the Sejong era, 8 pieces of Seungja-chongtong (銃筒_Seungja rifles) made between the Jungjong era and Seonjo era, and a bronze bell (銅鐘).

*The excavation site: 79, Insa-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Korea

The most eye-catching among the metal movable types to be unveiled this time is ‘the earliest Hangeul metal movable type’that reflects the writing at the time of the creation of Hunminjeongeum. The metal movable types excavated en bloc are of great significance as they were the first excavation case in which various movable types from the early Joseon era are unearthed in one place. In particular, it is the first case that the Donggukjeongun style orthography, which was only used in the 15th century when Hunminjeongeum was invented, is verified as genuine, and all of the Hangeul metal movable types areexcavated in various sizes. 

*Donggukjeongun (Dictionary of Proper Korean Pronunciation): the first Unseo about standard sounds in Korea published by Sin Sukju and Park Paengnyeon to correct sounds of Korean Chinese characters under King Sejong’s order, and record for transcribing sounds of Chinese characters using ㅭ,ㆆand ㅸ.

*Large and medium scale letters, small scale letters for annotation, and tiny scale letters made up of Hangeul metal movable type were confirmed.

Furthermore, about ten pieces of Yeonju metal movable typesare discovered. The Yeonju metal movable type was served as a conjunction to connect two sporadic letters by transcribing them in one type. It is an unprecedented achievement that many types believed to be ‘Gapinja’ (after the cyclical year designation for 1434) from the Sejong era, which isearlier than the mechanical movable type printing invented by Gutenberg in Germany. Moreover, there is a possibility that various actual types, which were only found in printed versions from the early Joseon dynasty, could be identified additionally. This is crucial data to examine the actual aftermath of the invention of Hangeul and the printing activities that might be conducted lively at that time.

* Yeonju metal movable type: it is types in which Hangeul conjunctions (‘imyeo’ and ‘igo’) that frequently used between Chinese characters are casts at once for convenience of printing.  

In a pot, copper artifacts are excavated in the state of being cut into fragments. Those copper artifacts appear to be Jujeon (籌箭_engraved a visual scale to indicate the time on the water clock) of the automatic water clock made between the Sejong and the Jungjong period along with metal movable types. Those copper artifacts are divided into copper plates and bead releasing devices. The copper plates have several circular holes and an inscription ‘Iljeon (一箭). The bead releasing device has a clasp and a ginkgo leaf-shaped hook on both sides of the cylindrical copper artifact respectively. This form corresponds to the record of Jujeon, a device that stores and releases small beads to operate the time signal device of a water clock in ‘Sejong Sillok (Records of King Sejong)’. It has significant meaning that the authentic Jujeon only handed down in records is identified in reality. It is assumed to be Okru (a water clock) in Heumgyeonggak (a palatial residence), built in 1438 (the 20^threign of King Sejong), or Jagyeokru (clepsydra) in Borugak (the Observation facility), newly installed at the Changdeokgung palace in 1536 (the 31^streign of King Jungjong). 

*Water clock: there were two automatic water clocks in the Joseon dynasty; Jagyeokru in Borugak and Okru in Heumgyeonggak.

The Ilseongjeongsiui, an astronomical clock for the day and night, was discovered next to the pot containing the movable type. It was used as a sundial during the day and was used to estimate time using constellations to compensate for the disadvantage of not being able to use the sun at night. According to ‘Sejong Sillok,’ it is recorded that King Sejong made four Ilseongjeongsiui in 1437 (the 19th reign of King Sejong). The artifacts excavated this time are the main parts of an Ilseongjeongsiui, which seems three rings on the top of the clock wheel. It is crucial that it verifies the truth of the science and technology in the Sejong era, which had only been passed down through records without any material evidence.

A total of eight Chongtong (small firearms) were collected; one of Seungja-chongtong and seven of Soseungja-chongtong. As a result of the investigation, they were found in the upper part of a bronze bell, and it appears that the whole bodies of Chongtong were intentionally broken and buried. The Chongtong is approximately 50-60cm in length. According to the inscriptions engraved on the Chongtong, it is presumed to be Seungja-chongtong (1583) in the year of Gyemi (癸未) and Soseungja-chongton (1588) in the year of Muja (戊子), Manryeok (萬曆). There are names of craftsman including master Huison (希孫)and Maldong (末叱同). The name of master Huison is identified in the inscription of Chaseungja-chongtong, which is currently designated as a national treasure and a collection of the Seoul National University Museum. Seungja-chongtong with an inscription of the year of Muja (戊子), Manryeok (萬曆) has also been found in the Myeongryang Sea area.

*Chongtong: a weapon with gunpowder and iron bullets loaded into the muzzle and ignited by hand

A bronze bellwas excavated underneath of the Ilseongjeongsiui, broken into several small fragments. The form of bell is like a cannon ballturned upside down and has a yongnyu (龍鈕) in the shape of two dragons. The style of the bronze bell is similar to the one in the style of royal origins in the 15^thcentury in the Joseon dynasty. In the upper part of the bronze bell, there is an inscription ‘嘉靖十四年乙未四月日’ in clerical style, indicating that it was produced in April 1535 (the 30^threign of King Jungjong). However, there are some differences from the bronze bell of the royal origins as they usually used regular script style. The bronze bell discovered this time is similar in style to thebronze bell, the former Yujeomsa Buddhist Temple (a collection of the Chuncheon National Museum) dating from 1469 and thebronze bell of Haeinsa Buddhist Temple (designated as a treasure) dating from 1491. 

* yongnyu (龍鈕): the dragon-shaped handle

*Clerical script (隸書): it is an archaic style of Chinese calligraphy used since the Han dynasty in China. The style of the characters tends to be square.

*Regular script (楷書): it appeared next to seal script and clerical script styles in the history of calligraphy. It is not cursive, rather it is a square modern script.

The research area is located northwest of the present-day Jongro 2-ga intersection, which was the center of Hanyang, the capital of Joseon. Until the early Joseon dynasty, it belonged to Gyeonbpyeongbang, the central part of Hanseongbu. Moreover, government offices Uigeumbu (義禁府) and Jeonuigam (典醫監), as well as places Sunhwagung (順和宮) and Jukdonggung, (竹洞宮) were located in the vicinity of the area. Unjongga (雲從街), where the commercial facility ofSijeonhaengrang was located, was in the south. 

* Gyeonbpyeongbang: one of the eight central bang (administrative districts) of Hanseongbu and an economic and cultural center in the capital city with a complex of palace-related facilities and commercial facilities

* Jeonuigam (典醫監): a government office in charge of medical administration and medical education established in 1392, the year of the foundation of the Joseon dynasty

* Sunhwagung (順和宮): the palace said to have been built for Princess Sunhwa of King Jungjong in the Joseon dynasty

* Jukdonggung (竹洞宮): the palace said to have been built for Princess Myeongon of King Sunjo in the Joseon dynasty

A total of six cultural layers (second to seventh floors) were identified from the early Joseon era to the modern era at the site. The layerunearthed metal artifacts, including the metal movable type, correspond to the sixth floor (center of the 16th century), three meters below the current surface. In this layer, various building structuresas well as fragments of porcelain and broken roof tiles were identified. These materials can be datedto the early Joseon dynasty.

By taking a look at the state of artifacts collected, it is assumed that some of them, except for the metal movable types, were deliberately broken into fragments of appropriate size and then put into the pot and buried together. Although the metal movable types are mostly intact, some of them appeared to be melted in the fire and stuck together. The date of use and disposal are presumed to be around 1588. This is supported by the presence of Soseungja-chongtong, which has a calendric date of Muja (戊子), Manryeok (萬曆). These artifacts have buried there up until they were discovered a few weeks ago.

The excavated artifacts have been transferredto the National Palace Museum of Korea for safe storage after completing the first clean-up. In the future, if research is carried out through conservation treatment and analysis in each field, it is expected that it will be of great help in understanding the science and technology of the early Joseon dynasty and further the year of King Sejong.  

For further details, please do contact to the Sudo Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (Director Oh Gyeongtaek, phone number 02-304-6512)