Natural Environmental History at the Tanseong Ancient Harbor Site along the Western Coast of Korean Peninsula

Abstract

Tanseong is noted for the ‘Far East Port of Silk Road’ during the Unified Silla Period (AD668-935) to link between China and Korea. It was composed with the unit of an ancient port and an mountain castle, departed about 4 km now to the present sea shore. The sedimentary environment was presumed by lithologic, geochemical and paleontological methods at six drilling sites at the lowland surrounding the Tanseong. The bay was spread by the sea level uplift during the Holocene, however it was destroyed by five times huge hazards at Koryo - Chosun periods.