The Structural Characteristics and Architectural Features of Gyeongnam Inland's Wooden Gasket Tombs and Wooden Chamber Tombs

This study examined the wooden gasket tombs and wooden chamber tombs in Gyeongnam Inland areas from two main perspectives. It summarizes recent excavation cases to review the structural characteristics of these tombs and infers the construction style and burial methods through the example of the Jeongjang-ri Tomb No. Ⅲ-86. Firstly, the wooden gasket tombs consist of ① burial area (tomb pit), ② wooden gasket, ③ backfill soil, ④ topsoil, ⑤ wooden fence, and ⑥ mound, which are not significantly different from those found in the Yeongnam region. However, the wooden gasket tomb at Jangchon-ri B-25 is a unique half-cut chamber type. What is particularly noteworthy is that the lower part of the tomb pit is excavated about 10° eastward from the top, where the wooden gasket is placed. Additionally, the wooden gasket tomb at Dohang-ri #48 lacks backfill soil and exhibits a distinctive structure with retaining walls. The structure of the wooden chamber tombs consists of ① burial area (tomb pit), ② wooden chamber, ② wooden gasket, ③ pedestal, ④ backfill soil, ⑤ topsoil, ⑥ capstone, and ⑦ outer wall. There are various types of wooden chamber tombs, including single-chamber style, double-chamber style, and compound chamber style. Among them, the wooden chamber tombs in Jeongjang-ri is notably distinct because it has separate compartments on both walls for the relics among the double-chamber style tombs that have both the inner and outer walls and the single-chamber style tombs. Additionally, the floor surface is excavated to install a pedestal, and two to five wooden planks are placed across it. And it is clear that the inside and outside are installed on the wooden board. Second, the architectural features and burial styles have been reconstructed by inferring the procedure of construction based on the structural features of the Jeongjang-ri Tomb No. Ⅲ-86. The assumed procedure is as follows: Excavation of the ① burial area and ② tomb pit and installation of the pedestal → Installation of horizontal wooden planks and longitudinal planks → ④ Installation of inner and outer walls and backfilling → ⑤ Placement of body and artifacts → ⑥ Closing and sealing of the wooden gasket and mound construction. Therefore, the Jeongjang-ri Tomb No. Ⅲ-86, among others, holds significance as it provides an opportunity to comprehensively reconstruct the structural characteristics and construction processes of wooden chamber tombs in the Gyeongnam Inland region.