천안-아산 지역의 구석기 유적 연구

The Paleolithic sites in Cheonan-Asan area have started to be excavated since the latter part of 1990s. There are more than 10 Paleolithic sites discovered around this area. There are mostly centered around the basins and the low hillsides of Seonghwancheon, Cheonancheon and Gokgyocheon. Most of the stone artefacts have been known either from the dark brown soil layer marked by the presence of the first soil wedge structure, or from the reddish brown soil layer developed the second soil wedge structure. These paleosol deposits formed during the Upper Pleistocene can be divided into three types (horizon A, B, and C) according to their sedimentological features. Horizon B is subdivided into B-1 and B-2. On the basis of the absolute dating results, the formation age of soil wedge, and stratigraphical correlation, it can be concluded that horizon A has been formed after around 20 ka BP, horizon B between ca 20 and 70 ka BP, and horizon C before ca 70 ka BP. The Paleolithic sites in Cheonan-Asan area should be attributed to the Upper and Middle Paleolithic period. Raw materials are basically composed of quartz or quartzite. No obsidian has been discovered and hornfels are rarely found on horizon A and B-1. The evolution of debitage technique is not clearly observed. But it should be noted that the microblade core has been discovered at Cheongdang-dong site. Heavy duty tools have been found; handaxes in horizon B-1 and horizon C, and picks in horizon C.