Gangjin Kiln Sites
Goryeo-era kiln sites producing celadon in Gangjin County.
Deep in South Jeolla Province, Gangjin County holds 188 ancient kilns that once fired the celebrated celadon of the Goryeo dynasty. These archaeological sites, known collectively as the Gangjin Kiln Sites, were first recognized on January 21, 1963, when 98 of them became a Historic Site of South Korea. Later, on January 9, 1994, the full set of 188 kilns was put forward by South Korea as a tentative UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The kilns are scattered across four main areas. Yongun-ri contains more than 75 kilns, dating from the 10th to 11th centuries and still in relatively good shape. Around Gyeyul-ri, 59 kilns date from the 11th to 13th centuries. Sadang-ri holds 43 kilns, most from the 12th and 13th centuries, though many were later turned into farmland and are now in poorer condition. Sudong-ri has 6 kilns from the 13th and 14th centuries, also damaged by agricultural use.
One standout site is Daegumyeon, rediscovered in 1914. Excavations there turned up a rich variety of pottery fragments—different shapes, sizes, and colors—and an unusually high concentration of kilns spanning the entire Goryeo period. This makes it a key resource for scholars. A fully restored kiln based on those digs now sits in the National Museum of Korea. To preserve the sites and revive lost techniques, the Goryeo Celadon Office was founded in 1986. The Goryeo Celadon Museum in Gangjin tells the story of these kilns and displays a collection of their wares.
Along with a similar cluster in Buan County, North Jeolla Province, the Gangjin sites are one of two major Goryeo-era kiln groups, totaling around 400 discovered sites across both counties.
- field
- Archaeology, Korean pottery
- nationality
- South Korea
- known_for
- Goryeo celadon production
- number_of_kilns
- 188
- historic_site_designation
- January 21, 1963 (98 kilns)
- unesco_tentative_listing
- January 9, 1994
Lore & Background
There are two known major groups of earthenware and celadon kiln sites from the Goryeo period: those in Gangjin County and those in Buan County in North Jeolla Province. Across these two areas, around 400 kiln sites have been discovered. In Gangjin County, more than 75 kilns are in Yongun-ri, 59 are in and around Gyeyul-ri, 43 are in Sadang-ri, and 6 are in Sudong-ri. The Yongun-ri kilns are in relatively good condition and date to the 10th through 11th centuries. The Gyeyul-ri kilns date to around the 11th and 13th centuries. Most of the Sadang-ri kilns date to around the 12th and 13th centuries, although they are in poorer condition, as many had been converted to farmland in the past. The Sudong-ri kilns date to around the 13th and 14th centuries, but are also in poor condition due to previous use for agriculture.
The Daegumyeon kiln site was rediscovered in 1914. Excavations unearthed a wide variety of pottery fragments diverse in shape, size and colors. The Daegumyeon kiln site is unusual because of the high concentration of kilns and because the dates of these kilns range throughout the entire Goryeo Dynasty. This site is therefore very valuable as a resource for scholars and archaeologists. A fully restored kiln based on those excavations is now housed at the National Museum of Korea. The Goryeo Celadon Office was established in 1986 to preserve kiln sites and also to reproduce and reconstruct the techniques lost many hundreds of years ago.
Reader's Guide
The Gangjin Kiln Sites are significant as one of the two major groups of Goryeo-period earthenware and celadon kiln sites in Korea, the other being in Buan County. With 188 kilns spread across four areas—Yongun-ri, Gyeyul-ri, Sadang-ri, and Sudong-ri—they represent a concentrated center of celadon production spanning from the 10th to the 14th centuries. The Daegumyeon kiln site, rediscovered in 1914, is particularly valuable because its kilns date across the entire Goryeo Dynasty, offering a continuous record of ceramic evolution. The sites' designation as a Historic Site of South Korea in 1963 and their tentative listing as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994 underscore their cultural importance. The establishment of the Goryeo Celadon Office in 1986 aims to preserve the kiln sites and revive lost techniques. The Goryeo Celadon Museum in Gangjin further documents this heritage. These sites provide essential material for understanding Goryeo ceramic technology, artistry, and trade.
Did You Know?
- The Gangjin Kiln Sites consist of 188 kilns that produced Goryeo ware.
- 98 of the kilns were designated a Historic Site of South Korea on January 21, 1963.
- The Daegumyeon kiln site was rediscovered in 1914 and contains kilns dating across the entire Goryeo Dynasty.
- A fully restored kiln based on Daegumyeon excavations is housed at the National Museum of Korea.
More in World Heritage Tentative List 1-24
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