Prehistoric Korea en

Refers to the period and styles in Korea prior to written records, roughly from ca. 2.6 million BCE to 100 BCE. It spans the Paleolithic, Neolithic, Bronze Age, and Early Iron Age. The Paleolithic is marked by the creation and use of tools for hunting and gathering, such as the handaxe excavated from Jeongok-ri in Yeoncheon. The Neolithic saw the development of settled lifestyles with pottery used for storage, including raised design and comb-patterned wares, as well as the emergence of petroglyphs depicting animals, hunting scenes, and geometric motifs as observed at Bangudae Terrace in Ulsan. The Bronze Age is characterized by the use of stone and wooden implements in daily life and bronze pieces as symbols of social status, as exemplified by Liaoning-type daggers and mirrors with coarse linear designs. During this period, unpatterned pottery was produced as well. The Early Iron Age marked the introduction of iron weapons and agricultural tools, while bronze took on a ritual role, as represented by Korean-type bronze daggers and fine-patterned mirrors. Distinctive pottery forms emerged such as band-rimmed and burnished black ware.