탄소연대를 활용한 신석기시대 인구변동 연구 = Examining Population Fluctuation During the Korean Neolithic Period Using Radiocarbon Dates

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This paper examines the pattern of population fluctuations in South Korea during the Neolithic period using the summed probability distribution (SPD) of radiocarbon dates. The analysis confirms a relative change in the sum of radiocarbon dates between coastal and inland areas starting at 3300 BC. From 3500 to 3300 BC, the SPD values are concentrated in coastal areas, indicating that population growth and the occupation of villages were centered on the coast of the central-western region. From 3300 to 2300 BC, the SPD value in inland areas increased relatively, reflecting the continued occupation of coastal sites from the previous period, but with a wider spread of population to inland areas. After 2300 BC, SPD values in both coastal and inland areas decreased, indicating an overall decline in population at the end of the Neolithic period. The patterns identified in this paper are closely related to climate change during the Neolithic period, which was characterized by an 8200 BP cooling event, a 8200 to 4200 BP climate optimum period, and a 4200 BP cooling event. Climate deterioration led to the formation of new subsistence strategies, such as the relocation of populations to other regions or changing mobility patterns. The influence of climate warming changed the spatial distribution of food resources, diversifying hunting and gathering lifeways, and promoting the spread of population toward inland regions.