ARCHITECTURE
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| Prehistoric Architecture The earliest dwellings in Korea, as in other cultures around the world, were natural caves. Judging from the stone and clay implements found in caves on Cheju Island, most of the people living there were immigrants from the north. The Chinese history SanguoVi and other historical records indicate that there were three types of prehistoric dwellings on the Korean peninsula pit houses; log houses; and elevated houses. However, only the remains of pit houses have been identified. In Pusan, post-holes have been found together with small stones which were used as foundations inside the holes. These pit dwellings were made by excavating a hole one or two meters deep and leveling the earth inside it. In some cases, fireplaces were found at the center of the dwelling, but in the northern part of Korea, stone slabs were used for a kind of under-floor heating system, which later developed into the ondol heating system used in Korean homes even today. The early ondol system of heating floors constituted of under-floor flues through which hot smoke from a heating fire was channeled Today hot water is pumped through pipes embedded in a cement floor. |
The Koguryo Kingdom There are no remains of wooden architecture from this period; however, examples of stone architecture, such as tombs and city walls, have been discovered. Sites of palaces and temples which had once been built of wood have also been excavated, and paintings in tombs, as well as written records, provide evidence of wooden structures during the Koguryo period. Stone tomb chambers were built so as to imitate wooden architecture. The roof construction and bracket system of the Tomb of the Heavenly King and Earth Spirits are similar to those of a wooden structure, and the entrance to the Tomb of the Double Columns is flanked by two octagonal columns. The antechamber, side chambers and coffin chamber of Tomb No. 3 in Anak have stone columns and rafters supporting the roof. Polychrome murals on the walls and roof depict the life of the deceased and include illustrations which may be views of the exterior and interiors of palaces or private houses and auxiliary buildings. |
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