The Bronze Age, Political Party Formation

[Narration]
We have now arrived at the Bronze Age Room. The Bronze Age, which began around the 10th century B.C., is defined by the manufacture and use of bronze objects composed of copper and zinc. The earlier development of agriculture resulted in the establishment of villages and, along with the privatization of property, bronze craft led to a further stratification of society.
We will now see the first relic in this room, a Bronze ritual artifact.

[Tourist]
Um, it’s tiny and broken.

[Narration]
Ha-ha! It looks humble but this artifact is the most famous one in this room.

[Tourist]
Really! Why is that?

[Narration]
Look at it closely. The patterns are indistinct but you can still see them. The upper right of the artifact shows a man plowing a field, and on the lower right, there is a man holding up a hoe. Let’s walk round the case and see what’s on the back. There’s a handle and a bird sitting on the branch of a tree. As you may know, murals describing early human’s lifestyle are quite common. But this is the only bronze artifact in Korea that shows how people lived in the Bronze Age.

[Tourist]
I see. But I’ve never seen this kind of decoration before. What was it for?

[Narration]
Judging by the holes on the top, which allowed the object to be hung, it is believed to have been used as a type of charm to wish for a successful harvest. Since bronze was still precious and rare, only the nobility could afford such objects. In addition, the depiction of farming on the artifact indicates just how important agriculture was to this ancient society.