고창지역은 지석묘 중심 분포권으로 한반도에서 지석묘 최대 밀집지역 가운데 하나로 일찍부터 지석묘에 대한 관심과 함께 지속적인 연구가 이루어졌다. 고창지역 청동기시대는 금강유역에서 형성된 송국리문화가 만경강-동진강을 거쳐 고창지역으로 들어오면서 지석묘문화와 송국리문화가 결합되어 청동기문화를 꽃피웠던 지역이다. 고창지역을 지형적 특징에 따라 갈곡천유역권, 주진천유역권, 서부 해안지역권, 대산천‧와탄천유역권 등 크게 4개의 권역으로 구분 하여 각 유역권에서 조사된 고고학 자료를 살펴보았다. 지금까지 고고학 자료를 살펴보면 고창지역은 조‧전기유적 부재와 중기유적의 급증으로 고창지역만의 지역성이 두드러지는 것이 특징이다. 송국리문화의 확산으로 취락에 있어 송국리 식주거지가 급속하게 증가하고 있으며 분묘는 재지의 지석묘가 중심을 이루면서 일부 송국리문화의 영향으로 볼 수 있는 석관묘, 석개토광묘, 옹관묘 등이 축조되기 시작한다. 주거에 있어 송국리문화를 적극적으로 받아들이지만, 분묘에 있어서는 전통성과 재지성이 강한 지석묘를 축조하면서 하부구조인 매장시설은 석관을 채용하고 있다. 이는 지석묘 축조 집단에 의해 주거와 분묘의 요소 일부를 송국리 문화를 채용하면서 나타나는 현상으로 볼 수 있다. 후기가 되면 새로운 점토대토기문화가 유입되면서 기존 지석묘는 물론 송국리문화도 급격하게 쇠퇴한다. 점토대토기문화는 취락의 부재와 분묘 또한 산발적으로 나타나고 있어 주류문화로 형성되지 못한 것으로 보인다. 청동기시대부터 고창지역은 지석묘를 통한 독자적인 문화권을 형성하며 이후 지석묘사회의 점진적인 변화과정을 거쳐 마한사회로 변화된다.

Gochang region belongs to a central zone of dolmens as one of the largest concentration areas of dolmens on the Korean peninsula and, due to interest in the dolmens there, researches have been conducted on them continuously since early on. During the Bronze Age, Gochang was where Songguk-ri culture which had taken shape on the Geumgang River basin entered via the Mangyeong-Dongjingang Rivers and was combined with the dolmens and Songguk-ri cultures to blossom the Bronze Age culture. In this paper, Gochang region was divided roughly into four spheres based on topographical features: Galgokcheon Stream basin area, Jujincheon Stream basin area, western coastal area, and Daesancheon-Watancheon Streams basin area. Subsequently, the archaeological data surveyed from each basin were examined, which made it clear that Gochang is characterized by the absence of initial and early days relics as well as by the rapid increase of mid-age relics, revealing by thus the unique locality of Gochang reion of its own. With the spread of Songguk-ri culture, the residential areas of Songguk-ri-style were rapidly increasing in the settlements and, as for tombs, stone coffin tomb, pit-grave with stone cover, jar burial, etc. which could be seen as an influence partly of Songguk-ri culture began to be built although dolmens of the local type occupied the center. As for type of dwelling, Songguk-ri culture was positively accepted, but in terms of tomb, dolmens were still constructed that reflected the strong influence of tradition and locality, whereas stone coffins were used as lower structures of burial facilities. This seems to be a phenomenon that occurred when some of the elements of residences and tombs of Songguk-ri culture were adopted by the group who built dolmens. As a new culture of pottery with ring-rim was introduced in the latter period, not only the existing dolmens, but also Songguk-ri culture itself declined rapidly. The culture of pottery with ring-rim is believed to have failed to develop to be a mainstream culture because there were no settlements and graves appeared sporadically. From the Bronze Age onward, Gochang region formed its own cultural sphere thanks to dolmens, and was transformed to Mahan society through a gradual changing process of the dolmen society.

❚요약❚
Ⅰ. 머리말
Ⅱ. 고창지역 청동기유적 현황
    1. 갈곡천유역권
    2. 주진천유역권
    3. 서부해안지역권
    4. 대산천ㆍ와탄천유역권
Ⅲ. 고창지역 청동기시대 취락의 특징과 연대문제
    1. 고창지역 청동기시대 취락의 특징
    2. 유적의 연대문제
Ⅳ. 고창지역 분묘 특징과 변천
    1. 지석묘와 새로운 분묘의 공존
    2. 점토대토기문화의 유입과 지석묘문화의 쇠퇴
Ⅴ. 맺음말
참고문헌

• 양영주(전북문화재연구원) | Yang young-joo (Jeonbuk Cultural Property Research Institute)