2,000-Year-Old Domestic Chicken Remains Discovered in Southwest Korea

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Archaeological analysis at Gungok-ri site confirms domestic chicken husbandry in ancient Korea between 80–361 CE, offering the first direct biomolecular evidence.

2,000-Year-Old Domestic Chicken Remains Discovered in Southwest Korea
Image credit: Archaeologymag

Archaeological Deep Analysis

A study led by Kyungcheol Choy from Hanyang University ERICA examined bird bones excavated at the Gungok-ri archaeological site in southwest Korea. Due to the small and fragmented nature of the bones, researchers employed Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS), a biomolecular method, to distinguish domestic chickens (Gallus gallus) from wild junglefowl, which are morphologically similar [1][2]. Five out of 14 samples were confirmed as domestic chickens. This represents the first direct biomolecular evidence of domestic chicken presence on the Korean Peninsula [3]. Radiocarbon dating places these bones between 80 and 361 CE, corresponding to the Proto-Three Kingdoms period (c. 108 BCE – 313 CE) in Korean history. The findings suggest chickens were raised at the Gungok-ri settlement for approximately 300 years [1][3]. Previously, only four possible chicken specimens had been identified at the site based on morphological analysis; the new method increased this number to five, significantly enhancing the reliability of the discovery.

Critical Findings

  • Five of 14 bird bones from the Gungok-ri site were identified as Gallus gallus (domestic chicken) using the ZooMS method.
  • Radiocarbon dating indicates the bones date to between 80 and 361 CE, aligning with the Proto-Three Kingdoms period.
  • Stable isotope analysis confirms the chickens were fed by humans and raised independently of natural ecosystems.
  • This study provides the first biomolecular evidence of domestic chickens on the Korean Peninsula.

Historical Context

The domestication of chickens in Asia has long been a subject of scholarly debate. Some studies suggest domestic chicken remains from the Shang Dynasty in northern China (around 1300 BCE) [5], while more recent research calls for a reevaluation of these dates [6]. On the Korean Peninsula, direct evidence of domestic chickens was previously lacking, leaving a knowledge gap regarding their dispersal across East Asia [4]. The Gungok-ri findings now fill this gap for the first time with biomolecular data [2][3].

Similar Discoveries

  • 7,000-Year-Old Grouse Bone Pit in Germany: This Neolithic find provides direct evidence of fur hunting, reflecting a similar zooarchaeological approach to understanding animal management and human-material relationships as seen in the Gungok-ri chicken bones.
  • 60,000-Year-Old Ostrich Eggshell Excavations in Africa: Although from a different period and context, this discovery offers methodological parallels in how animal remains can inform human behavior, complementing the interpretive framework of the Gungok-ri findings.

Archaeologist’s Note

This study not only establishes when domestic chickens arrived in Korea but also demonstrates the effectiveness of biomolecular techniques in species identification even on small and fragmented bones. The advantage of ZooMS in differentiating morphologically similar species opens new research perspectives for Korean archaeology [2]. However, the findings do not fully explain how or from where chickens reached Korea. Future analyses from additional sites could clarify dispersal routes [1][2].

References

Image & News Source: Archaeologymag / archaeologymag.com