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Bokcheon Museum to Host the 18th Archaeology Citizen Lecture Series

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Busan Bokcheon Museum (hereinafter “the Museum”) announced that it will hold the 18th Archaeology Citizen Lecture Series over two days, from October 16 to 17.

This lecture series is designed to accompany the ongoing special exhibition “Glass Beads: A Journey Through Time” (September 9 – November 9, 2025). The program targets adults and aims to enhance the public’s in-depth understanding of the exhibition while widely promoting the historical and cultural significance of glass beads.

Glass beads, one of the representative relics of the Gaya Confederacy, are important cultural artifacts that illustrate the history of cultural exchanges in ancient East Asia through the maritime Silk Road. In the Samhan period, glass beads were valued more highly than gold, silver, or silk, and during the Three Kingdoms period, they were considered symbols of power. From the Unified Silla through the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties, their use and meaning gradually shifted, ranging from Buddhist ritual items to secular ornaments.

The upcoming lectures will comprehensively explore the introduction routes of glass beads into the Korean Peninsula, patterns of maritime exchange, and the characteristics, production techniques, types, and social significance of glass beads from the Samhan period to the Joseon dynasty. In particular, the lectures will systematically examine the regional characteristics and chronological transformations of glass beads unearthed in Korea.

The lectures will take place in the first-floor lecture hall of Bokcheon Museum on October 16 and 17 from 13:30 to 16:50. Admission is free.

Applications for participation can be made through the Museum’s website (museum.busan.go.kr/bokcheon) from 9:00 a.m. on October 10 until 18:00 on October 14. For further details, please visit the Museum’s website or call 051-550-0336.

Seong Hyun-joo, Director of Bokcheon Museum, stated, “This lecture series will provide an opportunity to explore cultural heritage—small in size but rich in historical and cultural implications—represented by glass beads. We will continue to offer high-quality educational programs that enable citizens to gain a deeper understanding of our history and culture.”