2026-06-25 –, Room 403 PC Desk (Seats 30)
This thesis investigates the role of pottery as a socio-economic marker in prehistoric burials along the southern coast of South Korea, with a focus on the Late Jeulmun to Early/Mid-Mumun Pottery Periods. Through an interdisciplinary analysis of burial sites at Janghang (Gadeok-do), Sangchon-ri, and Yulha-ri, the study examines how ceramic design, placement, and associated grave goods reflect evolving social structures within early Korean communities. While pottery has long been examined through functional and chronological lenses, this research considers its symbolic and cultural value in funerary contexts. Findings suggest that pottery served not only utilitarian or ritual purposes, but increasingly signaled socio-economic differentiation—particularly as craft specialization intensified and access to prestige goods like jade, obsidian, and lacquerware expanded through trade. Variations in pottery design, burial construction, and artifact assemblages reveal patterns of emerging hierarchy, spiritual practice, and cultural exchange. Ultimately, this study argues that material culture—specifically funerary pottery—offers a critical lens through which to understand socio-economic transformation and identity formation in prehistoric Korea.
Prehistory, Early Korean Studies, Jeulmun Pottery, Mumun Pottery, East Asian Art History, East Asian Archaeology, Prehistoric Burials, Interdisciplinary
My name is Codi Shoemaker. I have an MA in Art History with a focus on Korean and East Asian art, along with undergraduate degrees in both Illustration & Graphic Design (BFA) and Art History (BA). My research focuses on pre-historic and pre-Silla Korea using interdisciplinary approaches.
Outside of academics, I often spend time with my cats, draw, go out for trivia, or read. I enjoy matcha lattes, learning about weird history, and have a soft spot for cute things.