The Life History and Biases of Organic Weapons: Production and Burial of Shields and Quivers from the Daeseong-dong Tombs

This study examines the life history of organic weapons excavated from the Daeseong-dong Tombs in Gimhae, focusing on shields and quivers, across the processes of production, use, discard, burial, and discovery. Unlike metal artifacts, organic weapons show clear differences between production and preservation stages, which can be understood as the result of production bias and preservation bias operating during the formation process. Production bias arises from material selection based on practicality and operational efficiency, while preservation bias develops after burial due to the deterioration of organic materials and differences in burial environments. This study focuses on organic traces from Tombs No. 11, 14, 70, 88, and 108, examining patterns of production and burial from the perspective of these biases. The shields and quivers were composite objects combining leather, wood, fiber, and lacquer, often coated with multiple layers of black and red lacquer and decorated with geometric patterns. Shields were mainly deposited around the deceased, sometimes stacked in multiple layers, indicating both protective symbolism and a funerary practice involving multiple weapons. These features show that the life history of organic weapons was structured along two axes: production–use and discard–burial. In the production and use stage, shields and quivers functioned as practical devices enhancing combat efficiency while also serving as prestige items expressing social status. In the discard and burial stage, they became ritual devices that reproduced the martial identity of the deceased and conveyed wishes for communal well-being. This transformation illustrates how the production and burial of organic weapons reflected the social hierarchy and ritual perceptions of the Gaya warrior group.