Abstract

This is an accepted article with a DOI pre-assigned that is not yet published.

Glass beads that were produced and exchanged during the period between the 1st century BC to the 6th century AD of Korea have been excavated in large quantities across Korea, revealing how there was a high demand for them during ancient times. Today, ancient glass beads are regarded as an important material culture with expanding research and national exhibitions held on glass beads alone. There has been a noticeable transition of glass beads from being regarded as one of many categories of ancient ornaments to a valued national artefact in the present day. This article traces the importance and purpose of glass beads from the ancient period to the present day in South Korea with two goals; the first is to examine how glass beads characterised ancient Korea and how they characterise South Korean archaeology today and the second to review the history and evolution of research and to introduce the latest research conducted. The central aim is to present how glass beads have been and remain representative of Korean material culture from ancient times to the present day. 

Keywords: Ancient glass beads, ornaments, South Korean Archaeology, Distribution, Maritime Silk Roads, Heritage Value.