New data on the origin of traditional heating system (kang) in the Korean Peninsula

The article deals with the problem of the origin of the traditional Korean house heating system called kang. Previously it was thought that the kangs were spread in the Korean Peninsula in the early Middle Ages: their appearance is connected with the culture of Koguryo and Baekje. The find of kang’s remains in the dwelling No. 1 of the Yulmun-ri I site gives a new approach to the question of the origin and development of kang. Yulmun-ri I is a typical settlement which belongs to the Jungdo culture of the Early Iron Age. The settlement is located in the city of Chuncheon (Gangwon-do Province, Republic of Korea). The construction of the kang and archaeological materials from the dwelling no. 1 of the Yulmun-ri I site show close similarities to Krounovka culture of the Russian Maritime Region (Primorie). From the charcoal which was gathered from the floor of the dwelling 4 absolute dates were obtained. They allow to date the dwelling construction within time range 1st century BC - 1st century AD. The archaeological research data from the Yulmun-ri I settlement suggests the origin of the heating system of kang in the Korean Peninsula from Krounovka culture.