Technological Changes and Raw Material Use at the Hopyeong-dong Site, Namyangju, Korea

The Hopyeong-dong site in Namyangju represents a key case for understanding long-term occupation and technological change during the Late Paleolithic period. This study starts from the recognition that the site should not be interpreted solely through discrete cultural layers, but rather as a long-term occupation site with a multi-layered structure. Based on stratigraphic data and absolute dating results, occupation phases at Hopyeong-dong were subdivided, and technological changes in the lithic assemblages were analyzed to examine patterns of cumulative technological organization. As a result, the site formation is divided into three occupational phases spanning approximately 33–19 ka cal BP (33–30 ka, 28–23 ka, and 22–19 ka). Quartz was continuously used throughout all phases, forming the technological foundation of the site, while increasing selectivity and functionally differentiated use of raw materials are observed in later periods. In contrast, tuff, obsidian, and hornfels were employed selectively within restricted temporal ranges. During the initial phase, blade production on tuff indicates the temporary introduction of exogenous technologies. In the middle phase, pressure-knapped obsidian microblade production appears, reflecting the expansion of long distance exchange networks. In the final phase, hornfels inherits technological principles established with obsidian, marking a shift toward a more localized production system. These diachronic changes demonstrate that the Hopyeong-dong site was formed as a palimpsest in which the long term continuity of quartz use overlapped with temporal fluctuations in non-local raw materials. This pattern is interpreted as a technological response to Late Paleolithic climatic changes, constraints on resource accessibility, and the reorganization of exchange networks. By examining long-term occupation through the combined perspectives of technological change and network dynamics, this study clarifies the formation processes of Late Paleolithic sites and highlights the analytical potential of moving beyond layer-based chronological interpretations toward the reconstruction of cumulative technological practices and raw-material use

Lithic technology · Middle Paleolithic · Raw material · Technological change · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Geology and Paleoclimatology Research · Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology