Songguk-ri

Welcome to the Buyeo Songgungni Archaeological Site. I invite you to take a deep breath and look out over the landscape before us. …

As we begin our approach to the main settlement, your path is immediately interrupted by a massive, deep trench carved into the earth. This is the Hwanho, a formidable defensive moat that completely encircled the ancient village. …

Having crossed the Hwanho moat, you now find yourself standing before a towering wooden wall. This is the Mokchaek, a massive palisade constructed from thick, sturdy tree trunks driven deep into the soil. …

Now that we have successfully navigated the formidable military defenses, we have finally breached the interior of the Songgungni village. Spread out before you are the reconstructed homes of the common people. …

As we walk back out into the sunlight and move toward the center of the village, you will notice a structure that stands in stark contrast to the sunken pit houses we just explored. Look up at this unique building, elevated high…

Leaving the communal storehouse behind, we proceed to an area that clearly dominates the residential sector of the village. The structure before you is undeniably different from the small, five pyeong pit houses of the commoners. …

We now move to a specific sector of the excavation site that holds a dark and violent secret. As you look at the ground in this area, you might notice the varying shapes of the dwelling foundations—some are perfectly square,…

Leaving the dwellings and the ashes of the battlefield behind, we walk toward the quiet, solemn perimeter of the settlement. We have arrived at the ancient burial grounds. …

We have reached the climax of our journey through Songgungni. You are now standing at the exact location where archaeologists unearthed the most precious, history altering artifacts of the entire excavation. …

Our final specific stop within the village complex brings us to an area that fundamentally altered our modern academic understanding of the ancient Korean Bronze Age. You are now standing at the very location where archaeologists…

As our tour comes to an end, I ask you to walk to the edge of the hill and look out once more over the vast expanse of the Buyeo plains. The wind you feel now is the same wind that rustled the thatched roofs of the circular and…