Seoul: A set of prehistoric petroglyphs located in southeastern South Korea is likely to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, according to people familiar with the matter. The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), an advisory body to UNESCO, has recommended the inclusion of the Petroglyphs along the Bangucheon Stream on the UNESCO World Heritage list, following its review of the nomination.
According to Yonhap News Agency, a recommendation by ICOMOS is considered a preliminary approval for UNESCO World Heritage status. The final decision will be made at the upcoming World Heritage Committee meeting in Paris in July. The engravings on the rock face of Bangudae, situated on the lower part of a cliff on a tributary of a river in Ulsan, were first discovered in 1971 and were designated as the country's National Treasure No. 285.
Bangudae was listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List in 2011. South Korea applied for the UNESCO listing of the petroglyphs, located in Ulsan, in January last year. If registered, the petroglyphs will become South Korea's 17th UNESCO World Heritage site.
The petroglyphs site encompasses the Petroglyphs of Bangudae Terrace, a National Treasure, with a high concentration of engraved images, as well as the Petroglyphs of Cheonjeon-ri. The engraved images include numerous humans, animals, ships, tools, and nets. Experts suggest the petroglyphs were likely created sometime between the late Neolithic period and the Bronze Age.
Located on a cliff along the Bangu Stream, the Bangudae petroglyphs are engraved on a rock face measuring about 4.5 meters in height and 8 meters in width, depicting marine and terrestrial animals and hunting scenes. The Bangudae petroglyphs are renowned for featuring the world's oldest known depiction of whale hunting.
A 2023 report by the Ulsan metropolitan city indicates that 312 individual engravings were identified from the Bangudae petroglyphs through three-dimensional scanning. The Cheonjeon-ri petroglyphs, located about 2 kilometers from the Bangudae site, were discovered in 1970, containing over 620 figures, symbols, and drawings engraved along a rock surface measuring about 2.7 meters high and 9.8 meters wide.
The petroglyphs have faced challenges due to frequent submersion, caused by changes in the water level of Sayeon Dam located nearby. The dam was constructed in 1965, before the images were discovered. Over the past decade, the petroglyphs have been underwater for an average of 42 days per year.
Discussions have been ongoing at the government and expert levels regarding preservation efforts, including adjusting the dam's water level and building temporary embankments. Plans are currently underway to install floodgates at Sayeon Dam's spillway to lower water levels and protect the site.