Wednesday, April 21, 2004
ANCIENT KOREANS WENT A'WHALING
This according to some recently discovered rock carvings (hat tip to Marginal Revolution for the link).
Some in Korea will, no doubt, conclude that this is yet another piece of evidence attesting to the ancient greatness of Korea. This may very well be the case, but as always, there is little to no evidence demonstrating that the people that lived on the Korean peninsula "between 6,000 and 1,000 BC" are related to present-day Koreans. They may be, but it is also possible that the waves of people coming into Korea from the Asian mainland wiped out the indigenous people who were already there.
Analysis of rock carvings at Bangu-Dae archaeological site in Ulsan in the southeast of the country revealed more than 46 depictions of large whales.
They also show evidence that humans used harpoons, floats and lines to catch their prey, which included sperm whales, right whales and humpbacks.
Some in Korea will, no doubt, conclude that this is yet another piece of evidence attesting to the ancient greatness of Korea. This may very well be the case, but as always, there is little to no evidence demonstrating that the people that lived on the Korean peninsula "between 6,000 and 1,000 BC" are related to present-day Koreans. They may be, but it is also possible that the waves of people coming into Korea from the Asian mainland wiped out the indigenous people who were already there.
