This is a study regarding to the origin and formation process related to the glass beads culture of the Proto-Three Kingdoms period in south area of Korean peninsula.
Since the glass beads had been introduced, it formed a unique culture with the Paper culture. This study is mainly focused on the process of the formation of Glass Beads-Paper combined culture, and it is based on the information about 10000 beads from 123 tombs from the Early Iron Age to the Proto-Three Kingdom period in south area of Korean peninsula: Guem River, Mangyeong River, Nakdong River, Geumho River, Hyeongsan River. The type of components, producing methods, appearance, places of excavation and grave goods are examined. As a result, the glass beads culture of the Proto-Three Kingdoms period in south area of Korean peninsula is classified 3 categories according to the existence of sword-mirror-beads combination, and identified 5 steps of unification with aboriginal culture.
Depends on the value of beads in the society, and the cultural environment of decorating with beads, the combination among grave goods are different. People in the category I had high value of beads, and beads were used by both man and woman very often. In the category II, decorating with beads was not common and beads were mostly used by woman. In the category III, decorating with beads was common and people had relatively high value of beads, however, the main user was woman.
The development of the beads culture is defined to 5 steps: Inflowing, Moving, Stabilizing, Growing and Disappearing step. On the Inflowing period, in BC 2C~1C, the category I (wooden coffin with stone mound, 積石木棺墓) which had the Chinese Nationwide Iron and lead glass culture were combined with the Korean Aboriginal Bronze culture and the category II which was surmised that the Chinese Nationwide culture passing down without modifying existed at the same time in southwest area. During the Moving period, in BC 1C~early AD 1C, the category II introduced around southeast area at the beginning. On Stabilizing period, in the mid 1C~early 2C, in the southeast area the selective-combined grave goods coffin (selective goods coffin) and the category I and II were formed and 'selective goods coffin' in the southwest area were seemed disappeared. On Growing period, in mid 2C~early 3C, the category I and III were settled down around Nakdong Estuary, Guemho Rive, hyungsan river basin. Tombs in the category II were not identified when they mixed with the category I and III. During Disappearing step, in late 3C, beginning wooden-chamber-tomb(ㅁ木槨墓) step the 'selective goods coffin' culture were disappeared. The category II and III were integrated to the category I.