The Meaning of Buried Bronze Mirrors in the Three Kingdoms Period

In ancient East Asia, bronze mirrors were objects that enabled their creators and users to reflect their perceptions. Each ancient East Asian society interpreted and utilized the mirrors differently according to their needs. Instead of simply perceiving the Three Kingdoms Period’s bronze mirrors, especially Han-style bronze mirrors and Japanese bronze mirrors, as foreign artifacts, this paper aims to delve into the significance of the bronze mirrors in the Korean Peninsula during that time and examine how they were received and utilized by different communities. Southern Korean Peninsula during the 4th~6th centuries, which were part of the Three Kingdoms Period, is first sorted into five regions based on topography, water systems, and political entities. Next, the excavated context of bronze mirrors from each region is examined to study how these mirrors were buried and disposed of. The significance of bronze mirrors within ancient East Asian societies is, then, used as a reference to infer the importance of the mirrors within Korean communities during the Three Kingdoms Period. In conclusion, bronze mirrors were not in high demand within various Three Kingdoms Period societies on the Korean Peninsula unlike within the societies that existed in other parts of ancient East Asia. Furthermore, each society on the Korean Peninsula interpreted and utilized bronze mirrors in a unique way that aligned with its specific needs. This was dissimilar to practices observed in other ancient East Asian societies. The way an object is perceived varies from person to person. Sometimes, perceptions of objects are shared, reproduced, and diffused throughout societies. At other times, the perceptions slowly fade away. Through examining bronze mirrors, this paper demonstrates that a type of object can be received and utilized in diverse ways depending on the context of time and space.