What would happen if a legendary artifact that we've only heard about suddenly appeared in the world overnight? Let's explore this idea. Why do people seek out artifacts? Together, we will delve into the story behind the world-shaking forgery incidents and human desires. 

Hello, I am archaeologist Kang Hyun-wook. When you think of archaeologists, what comes to mind first? People who search for treasures like Indiana Jones, or those who look for bones and fossils? If I were to imitate Indiana Jones even a little, I would probably be sitting in jail right now. In reality, archaeologists often work in harsh and difficult conditions, discovering a single piece of pottery or what seems to be an insignificant fragment of a skeleton. They draw on their imagination to bring new life from the dead past.

I think about those who resurrect the past. When artifacts or remnants of people or nations, which we had only vaguely known about or recorded, are discovered, and when these discoveries astonish everyone, the impact on scholars is indeed immense. However, such remarkable and significant discoveries have not been rare. Why do people overlook these artifacts? Let's explore the forgery incidents that shake the world and the hidden human desires behind them.

Many often ask what the difference is between archaeology and history. While both aim to illuminate human pasts, fundamentally, they are different fields. The most significant difference lies in the materials they handle. Archaeology primarily deals with the physical remnants left by humans.

기반으로 연구를 합니다. 그런데 많은 분들이 이렇게 생각해요. 역사책이 있는데, 구체적으로 고구마가 필요합니까? 제가 한번 비유를 들어볼까요? 어릴 적에 일기를 썼다고 생각해 볼까요. 물론, 제 입장에서 내일 매일 제가 무엇을 했는지 다 적혀있어요. 하지만 우연히 다락방이나 창고에서 친구와 주고받은 선물, 아버지가 선물한 인형 같은 것이 우연히 나온다면 어떨까요? 일기장과는 또 다른, 완전히 다른 나의 역사가 등장할 것입니다. 인간이 역사를 보통 400만 년이라고 이야기 많이 합니다. 그런데 역사가 기록된 시간은 길어야 5천 년밖에 안 돼요. 즉, 99.8%의 시간은 역사 없이 오로지 고고학이 연구하는 인간의 물질만으로 그들의 역사를 알 수 있습니다. 고고학은 역사학과 서로 경쟁하는 것도 아니고, 서로 보완하면서 우리의 과거를 좀 더 가깝게 이해하도록 돕습니다.

It is about making things understandable. Another common question is what to excavate and where to excavate. The conclusion is simple: everything left by humans. It often reminds me of ancient relics. Yes, that's right. But it's not just that. Under the sea, perhaps a bit later, there will likely be discoveries related to the cosmos. It's not just about digging up the past; recent excavations are also happening. Recently, an American archaeologist had an experience when the two-tiered system was in vogue, and it turned out that what was found is now nowhere to be seen. If something is missing, I would organize an excavation and carefully extract items that haven't even been unwrapped yet, which was quite a challenge. In short, all of us could potentially be subjects of archaeology. There have been numerous excavations that could shake up South Korea, many of which are only found in history books or heard as legends.

What would happen if Admiral Yi Sun-sin suddenly appeared in the world? In reality, artifacts related to him have been discovered, particularly famous for the Battle of Hansan. Let's take a look at the incident involving a cannon that was found in the waters off Jangsado Island. 

In 1992, a cannon was excavated from the sea in Hansan-myeon, Tongyeong City, Gyeongsangnam-do. The characters for defeat were engraved on it, indicating that it was a cannon used for battle. The phrase suggests that when it is fired, it will surely sink the enemy's ship. Could there be any other artifacts related to Admiral Yi Sun-sin? 

The news of the discovery of this cannon caused a stir throughout South Korea. We often refer to the honor and prestige associated with him. Most battles took place in areas with fast currents, so nothing has remained from those times. Before that, efforts had been made to excavate and recover artifacts.

I have been working hard to find traces of General Yi Sun-sin and the turtle ship, and finally, it has come to light. The Cultural Heritage Committee has stated that there are no artifacts from the late 16th century, when the Imjin War occurred. After 17 days, a major incident is presumed to have occurred involving National Treasure No. 274-5. General Yi Sun-sin is represented as the most prominent figure, and he was gloriously portrayed in the Joseon dynasty. No one could easily criticize or raise objections against him. Thus, four years have passed. Then, in 1996, unexpected news surfaced suggesting that this artifact could be a fake. It came from the prosecution, which was investigating the case. During the investigation, the suspect made an outrageous claim, stating that the National Treasure, the * Wangja Chongtong, had been thrown into the water. Upon further investigation, it was revealed that the head of the naval artifact excavation at the time had acted improperly, leading to the artifacts being compromised.

What was made and left out? In fact, it is quite distinct. The characters next to it are also so well-preserved that they cannot be corroded in the water. The condition is truly excellent, and what is even more puzzling are the characters there. The turtle ship from the Joseon Dynasty is not referred to as a ship in the traditional sense. It was referred to as a battleship. So if it were to be written as a turtle ship, it should be gi-seon instead of gi-ham. However, it has been designated as a cultural heritage at an unprecedented speed, and those in charge should feel a bit ashamed about that. We have many national treasures, treasures, and historic sites, right? Usually, it takes at least 2 to 3 years to designate something like that. After thoroughly understanding its significance, it is designated accordingly. For example, cultural properties take about three years to process.

It took five years, but this national treasure, the 270th temple, was evaluated based on a brief assessment provided by a cultural heritage committee representative, which amounted to five A4 pages of text. This became the only basis for evaluating the national treasure. General Lee Soon-shin's pursuit of personal honor, driven by a distorted sense of fame, and the resulting shame led to the incident. Therefore, the 270th temple remains a case of cancellation even now. We must ensure that such an incident does not happen again, and it should serve as a permanent lesson for future generations. 

When discussing forgery incidents, we shouldn't only focus on Korea; there are many more forgery cases around the world. If the forgeries had already multiplied naturally, what would have happened? There are figures involved in this ongoing debate that has persisted for 600 years regarding the image of Jesus appearing in Switzerland.

I will look into it. In Christianity, there are quite a few relics related to the Holy Shroud. The shroud is mentioned in the Gospel of John, specifically in John 20:6-7, where it describes how the disciple of Jesus went to the tomb a few days after Jesus was laid to rest and found that the body was gone. Only the linen that wrapped the body and the cloth that covered the head remained. The disappearance of the body and the linen became the ultimate symbol of Jesus' resurrection. This relic first appeared in France in the 14th century. According to the legend of that time, a woman from a small village brought the relic, which had been owned by her husband, to the church for public display. The shroud bore an astonishing image of a man lying down with his hands folded, with remarkable details on the head and arms.

There were bloodstains flowing down, and the stained blood on the side and the part of the foot was reminiscent of the nails that were used in the crucifixion. This aligns closely with the recorded final moments of Jesus, which is very striking. As I looked at this, I felt a deep emotion as if I was directly witnessing the suffering that Jesus endured on the cross. I still have a reputation in Europe, but this piece has gained worldwide fame. However, since its appearance in the 14th century, it has been surrounded by continuous controversy. Many scientists have raised questions about it. Finally, in 1988, scientific methods were employed. A small piece of fabric, about the size of a postage stamp, was taken from it and subjected to three tests. Each of these was sent to the most authoritative laboratories at Oxford University, Arizona University, and the University of Zurich. The results of the carbon dating showed that it dates back approximately 1,000 years, which allows us to pinpoint its age accurately.

There is no region in the world that does not do this; it is the most validated and widely used method. However, the subject matter is also related to the Torinous 2, so we must be careful. When sending this world, will subjectivity intervene? The second generation school does not tell us what this is; it is called a blind test. Additionally, another age is revealed through the samples. If there is an opportunity for more than two generations, the originally known age might also yield incorrect results. The laboratory conducted tests, and the results came out the same. All results indicated that it was roughly from the 13th to 14th century. This means that this cloth is not from the time of Jesus. Now, we must consider where the background of these artifacts appeared. In fact, what is best when it comes to sacred artifacts? Believers look at them and...

믿음을 강화시킬 수 있습니다. 그래서 중세 유럽에서 다양한 일방 교를 믿던 북유럽 사람들을 개종하기 위해서 다양한 선물이 필요했던 상황입니다. 보이는 주가 없으며, 일반 교인들이 믿지 않는 거예요. 즉, 유물이 없으면 안 믿는 거예요. 예수의 성이라고 이 떨어지는 토리노의 성의도 새로운 성불들을 찾는 그러한 과정에서 등장하기 때문에 아마 그런 것과 관련이 있지 않을까 생각합니다. 물론 여전히 다른 사람들은 여기에 대해서 반론을 제기하시는 분들도 있어요. 

세 번째는 조금 더 동쪽으로, 유라시아를 관통하는 실크로드를 한번 가볼까 합니다. 실크로드는 낭만적이지만, 실제로 학자들이 보는 실크로드는 참담하고 비참합니다. 왜냐하면 20세기 초반에 이 중앙아시아를 두고 다양한 서부 강국들이 자기들이 그 땅을 얻기 위해서 다투고, 또 나아가서 그...

It was a time when relics lying on the ground were being plundered competitively. Just like in the movie Indiana Jones, explorers competed with each other in looting and discovering artifacts. They not only threatened the locals but also seized the relics. This process of looting caused immense harm to the indigenous people. However, the locals sometimes tricked the explorers as well. There was a person stationed along the Silk Road who provided artifacts. At that time, one of the most favored artifacts among explorers of the Silk Road was a written artifact. If it had inscriptions, it was considered a discovery of an unknown new nation, which brought great honor, leading to fierce competition among them.

We are making a transition. We are not going to find more, but I will create a document to see if it works. The Taklamakan Desert is such that once a person enters, they cannot come out. If we go to explore the ruins, we must risk our lives and come back. Many people think this way; they risk their lives and return with notes of characters. The explorers do not know the content of these characters, so they combine the discovered uppercase letters to create new characters and sell them. This is not the end. There was a very famous scholar from Germany at that time named Richard. He was a renowned linguist known for deciphering ancient languages. Interestingly, this person deciphered the incantation created by the spirits. However, it was later that he explored and researched this area.

An explorer named Stein discovered the Ahu 4 forgery incident and managed to extract a confession. However, to be precise, the background involves the attitude of explorers who treated local people as expendable and the Europeans who ruthlessly stole artifacts from the 7th century, which is their original sin. Perhaps we have witnessed the flawed nature of such scholars. Many people wonder why artifacts are pursued. Ultimately, it seems to stem from a desire to gain prestige and honor in a society that craves sensationalism, much like the monsters of our modern world. In academia, there is often talk of the three highest – whether it is the highest, the largest, or the first. This leads to a significant interest in the artifacts, but it also means that the focus shifts away from what truly matters.

It is not necessarily important to be the best. Whether large or small, the artifacts contain the history of you, me, and the people from five weeks ago, which makes them precious. In other words, if we understand that it is not the artifacts themselves but the people who created them that hold value, then perhaps these fake items will become a little less significant. Thank you.

강인욱 교수 | 예수의 형상이 나타난 토리노의 수의는 진짜일까? 세상을 뒤흔든 유물 위조 사건 [어쩌다어른D]

《책 읽어 드립니다》, 《어쩌다 어른》 제작진이 만든 대한민국 대표 지식 큐레이팅 채널 『사피엔스 스튜디오』

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강인욱 교수 | 예수의 형상이 나타난 토리노의 수의는 진짜일까? 세상을 뒤흔든 유물 위조 사건 [어쩌다어른D]

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