Numerous ancient rock engravings of whales and whaling still remain in the southeast area of the Korea Peninsula, attracting archeologists from around the world. It has been suggested that they are the first pieces of evidence showing the prehistoric origins of whaling. These petroglyphs are found in Bangudae in the upper reaches of the Taehwagang River near Ulsan in Gyeongsangbuk-do (North Gyeongsang Province). Nearly 300 figures showing land and sea animals, as well as whale-hunting scenes, are found engraved into the wall over an area spanning 10 meters by 3 meters. The name Bangudae comes from the Korean ban , the word for a carapace or a shell, gu , meaning a turtle, and dae , a structure or a site, as in a carving site; the rock formation itself is said to resemble the back of a turtle. The petroglyphs of Bangudae recently came under the spotlight with the February edition of Current World Archaeology, a U.K.-based magazine devoted to archaeological finds. Based on...
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