Ancient Production Systems Through Silla Armor: A Preliminary Study and Its Significance

This study aims to reconstruct the production system of armor through manufacturing techniques and examine the characteristics and significance of Silla armor. Although armor occupies an important position in the study of metallic artifacts from the Three Kingdoms period, research has primarily focused on structure, restoration, and transformational aspects. In particular, while research on Silla armor has been conducted continuously since the 1980s, it remains insufficient compared to pottery studies. Pottery research has been utilized from manufacturing techniques to interpretations of political and social historical contexts, but armor research has received relatively little academic attention despite its importance. Recently, various attempts to actively interpret aspects of ancient society, including ceremonial elements, using armor as subject matter have been proposed, which is encouraging. Within this trend, to advance related research, efforts to explain the characteristics, development, and transformations of armor and changes in ancient society need to emerge through diverse topics and methodologies. Moreover, armor, along with horse gear, represents artifacts that best demonstrate ancient manufacturing techniques, technological levels, and resulting cultural changes. Therefore, this study takes Silla armor as its primary subject matter and examines aspects of Silla armor production systems by organizing Silla's armor manufacturing techniques and styles, as well as production methods and distribution ranges. In particular, like case studies that have discussed the possibility and significance of local Silla production in metalwork including horse gear, this study also addresses differences in armor production between Silla's central and local regions. Additionally, to ensure the specificity of this discussion, a comparison with Gaya armor, which has been extensively discussed previously, was also examined. Through this approach, the study seeks to interpret the political and social historical significance of Silla armor in the process of Silla's state development.