As locations that reflect the intentions of the occupants, dwellings most effectively leave behind the purpose and activities of the occupation as well as vestiges of the time. Moreover, as these vestiges diversely unfold depending on the region, period, and material culture, they are useful for examining the overall changes related to occupation.

The present study analyzes the occupation length of settlements in the Gyeonggi region by focusing on inner facilities among the various properties involved in dwellings and attempts to explain how these changes are associated with a subsistence economy. First off, the study categorizes the Gyeonggi region into northern, central, and southern areas in accordance with natural and geographical boundaries with the purpose of examining differences in occupation length depending on specific areas and period and then establishes a detailed chronology through the typological method and a settlement archeological approach. Furthermore, the study establishes 6 attributes capable of identifying expected occupation lengths through a methodology of dwelling use-life and examines changes to the settlements by comprehensively analyzing aspects of disuse and re-occupation.

The residential facilities and occupation lengths for the Gyeonggi region differ depending on the specific area and period. The northern and central areas were only equipped with basic facilities such as hearths and postholes throughout the first half of the Early Bronze Age with no auxiliary facilities constructed. In the latter half of the Early Bronze Age, auxiliary facilities start being installed, and regularity in terms of layout appears with an increase in the number of dwellings, implying settlements were built with a plan in mind. In the Middle Bronze Age, all types of facilities were being constructed, and the durability of the dwellings become strengthened with the rise in density. The layout, size, and form of the dwellings are consistent, and there are few cases of overlap between dwellings. Thus, it seems like the planned construction of settlements for long-term occupation is beginning in earnest in the Middle Bronze Age. However, occupation lengths plummet in the Late Bronze Age. During this period, the durability of dwellings declines because both basic and auxiliary facilities are not being established, and regularity disappears for the long axis orientation and layout of the dwellings.

Although occupation lengths in the southern area increase up to the Middle Bronze Age and then decrease in the Late Bronze Age, occupation duration is higher than that of the northern and central areas. Settlements occupied in the first half of the Early Bronze Age were built with auxiliary facilities in addition to basic facilities and thus had relatively longer occupation lengths. However, as these settlements lacked regularity in terms of dwelling layout, it seems like they were not built for long-term occupation. In the latter half of the Early Bronze Age, the density of basic and auxiliary facilities increased, and the durability of the dwellings was strengthened. In terms of settlement distribution, dwellings were clustered together, and the layout exhibited regularity. In the Middle Bronze Age, the density of basic and auxiliary facilities increased even further, along with an increase in regularity for scale, form, and layout. Thus, in the Middle Bronze Age, it seems like settlements were constructed with plans for long-term occupation. Although occupation lengths slightly decreased in the Late Bronze Age, the density of facilities other than storage was high among basic and auxiliary facilities, allowing the assumption that occupation lengths were longer than those in the northern and central areas. A look into the distribution of settlements shows that small and square-shaped dwellings exhibited layout regularity even if dispersed, implying a planned construction of settlements even in the Late Bronze Age.

A comparison between the stone tool assemblage of agricultural tools and food processing tools in order to find out how changes in occupation lengths are associated with changes in the subsistence economy shows that an increase in occupation length leads to an increase in the proportion of tools capable of increasing food production. First off, the proportion of food processing tools involved in the processing of collected plants was high in the first half of the Early Bronze Age, while the proportion of harvesting tools directly used in agriculture was low, allowing the assumption that the importance of agriculture for livelihood was low.

However, in the latter half of the Early Bronze Age, the proportion of food processing tools decreased, and that of agricultural tools increased. Nonetheless, it seems like the importance of agriculture for the subsistence economy was low due to the risk of returns. Furthermore, as the proportion of food processing tools did not decrease greatly, it is highly likely that people engaged in a mixed economy that combined hunting, gathering, and fishing activities along with agriculture.

In the Middle Bronze Age, the proportion of food processing tools continued to decrease, and the proportion of wood processing tools appears to have been the highest. This means that there was an active production of wooden containers and miscellaneous components necessary to agriculture along with an increase in the construction of buildings for supporting populations. Furthermore, the fact that the proportion of harvesting tools did not decrease significantly or rather increased despite the increase in wood processing tools reflects an increase in harvest through improvements in productivity. Therefore, with improvements in agricultural productivity in the Middle Bronze Age, it seems like the use of land for agriculture began in earnest.

The planned construction of settlements was associated with the stability of the subsistence economy. An examination of archaeological sites with occupation durations that appear to be 'strong' during the Middle Bronze Age shows that 73% or more were located within the site exploitation territory of large river. The surrounding areas of large river were advantageous for obtaining water and made it possible to engage in multiple activities including fishing. Accordingly, they were favorable for increasing and stabilizing yield. Therefore, residential groups in the Middle Bronze Age seem to have led a settlement lifestyle around large river in order to stabilize their subsistence economy.

In the Late Bronze Age, agriculture tools decreased across the northern and central areas. It seems like the agriculture-based subsistence economy has dissolved and a transition has been made to a mixed economy based on how wood and food processing tools exhibit the highest proportion. In addition to agricultural tools, wood processing tools would have been used for the production of tools necessary to a mixed subsistence economy with the purpose of securing stability with regard to subsistence. The proportion of agricultural tools also decreased overall in the southern area, but the number of wood processing tools increased by almost twofold. Such a characteristic is associated not only with the production of tools but also with the construction of settlements, and thus, it seems like these tools were used to build columns capable of supporting roofs.

The present study focused on how the occupation length of settlements changed in accordance with changes to the subsistence economy. The results show that occupation lengths and methods changed toward a direction that made it possible to maximize productivity. Residential groups continued to diversify their subsistence strategies in order to bring stability to their subsistence, and thus they created residential environments that fit their occupation with the goal of supporting such strategies.