정선 매둔동굴 출토 청동기시대 사람뼈 연구

Abstract

At Jeongseon Maedun Cave Site, the Bronze Age human skeletons are almost completely restored and preserved in good condition. It is of great importance, as the Site shows the burial cave customs of a type of tomb that is little investigated in Korean peninsula.
 The burial cave comes under a mass tomb in which several individuals are buried, including at least three persons, adults and children. It may be a joint tomb (family tomb) judging from the aspect of excavation and the sex and age of the buried. In particular, human bones in Tomb No. 1 with the most remaining area were buried by burying aside above an ash layer that was intentionally built. The stone chamber is assumed to be a stone coffin, and burial goods include arrowhead and red burnished pottery.
 Based on the result of an analysis of sex and age, No. 1 is of a woman in her mid-30s to 50s; No. 2, of a late-middle-aged to elderly man; and No. 3, of a young child aged 3-6. Measurement of bones in No. 1 reveals that the height is about 151-156㎝ and the cranium type is classified to be high and long. High cranium type is unique characteristic of the inhabitants of the Korean peninsula like other ancient human skeletons; However, the narrow and long cranium type(hyperdolichocrany, the cranial index 66.9) can be differentiated from that. This morphometric characteristic is considered as an unique and inherent feature that the residents around Maedun Cave shared. It has high correlation in the cranium type and archaeological aspects with the Bronze Age human skeletons excavated in Hwangseok-ri, Jecheon. As for pathological features, porotic hyperostosis and cribra orbitalia were found in the cranium; oral cavity and periodontal diseases, in the upper jaw and teeth; and osteoarthritis in the spine and ribs. Lifestyles including diseases, health, and nutritional status could be inferred from such features. Furthermore, the stable isotope analysis, which is of a chemical analytic method of diet, reveals that the proportion of total animal protein consumed in the diet was low, whereas the intake of farm crops(C4 plant), such as millet, foxtail millet and broomcorn was high. This dietary characteristic corresponds with the results of Hwangseok-ri, Jecheon and Joongdo, Chuncheon, enabling the restoration of dietary life of central region residents of the Korean peninsula in the Bronze Age.