A New Approach to Interpretation of Songgukri-Culture of Bronze Age Tree Pole Pit

It is estimated that as relative importance of agriculture increased during bronze age, agricultural rituals became active. Finding empirical evidence is very difficult but Lee Jongcheol(2015;2018:2021) not only discovered various ritual elements based on tree pole pit in large settlements but also demonstrated origination of appearance of Korean totem pole during prehistoric-primitive age based on archaelogical data. However, in discussion about ritual surrounding tree pole pit, cases of Jinan Yeouigog site and Gimhae Yulhari site played the most leading role and thus it was necessary to figure out real intention. Actually, in cases of above both two sites, one tree pole pit was found but it seems that such tree pole pit is a facility attached to graveyard rather than medium connecting different area in settlement. In addition, when examining several similar cases in Daegu region, role of guiding boundary of graveyard and order of construction of graves seemed clearer. In big tree ritual which Lee Jongcheol argued, case that two tree pole pits are found together like the case of Daegu Dongcheondong site seems more dependable. Even the same tree pole pits differ in their roles depending on their location. The author of this paper pointed out that existing opinions which considered big tree rituals and Korean totem poles as separate origin and facility are problematic and shape of birds which is the most important element was embodied as the beak-shaped stone tool from the first period of Bronze Age. Big tree ritual and Korean totem pole are meaningful as inseparable heritage of agricultural culture during Bronze Age.