Variation of Paleotopography around the Ssangsujeong Pavilion Area in Gongsanseong Fortress using GIS and 3D Geospatial Information

Abstract

Gongsanseong Fortress was registered of a World Heritage Site in 2015 as a representative cultural heritage from the Woongjin Baekje period, and it has been used throughout the entire period from Baekje Kingdom to the Joseon Dynasty. Within Gongsanseong Fortress, the area around Ssangsujeong is presumed the site of royal palace of the Woongjin Baekje. Also, the excavated culture layers of the Baekje Kingdom, the Unified Silla period, and the Joseon Dynasty were confirmed. In this study, paleotopography was modeled by digitally converting the elevation data obtained through surveying the excavation process, and the use of the topography in the Ssangsujeong area was considered by examining the variations in the topography according to the periods. As a result, the topography of the slope around the peak changed by periods, and the topography did not change on the flat land. The topography between the Baekje Kingdom and the Unified Silla period appeared to be almost identical, and it seems that the space of the Baekje period was maintained as it is. Also, during the Joseon Dynasty, it is confirmed that flat surfaces in the previous period were used. However, sediments on the slopes flowed down, reducing the area of the flatland, and architectural techniques that could utilize the natural topography of the changed slope were applied to interpret it as having a different topography from the previous period. In order to model and interpret the paleotopography, excavation data, geological and topographic analysis, and digital data must be secured. It is expected that location conditions and ancient human life can be identified if the analysis technique in the study is applied to other archaeological sites in the future.