It is rare when an edited volume on early Korea appears that is so topically comprehensive and impressively detailed, and not to mention on the topic of the ancient kingdom of Koguryŏ (trad. 37 BCE to 668 CE). Scholarship on Koguryŏ has been divided until now along academic field, modern nation-state, language, and political lines. However, in The History and Archaeology of the Koguryŏ Kingdom, the latest volume of the Early Korea Project at Harvard, editor and project director Mark Byington has shown us in a meaningful way the critical importance of the early history and archaeology of Korea and adjacent regions. This is a challenging task given the long, complex history of Koguryŏ and the fact that its territory spread over three modern nation-states. I would be remiss not to mention that I was involved in the production of the book.
The publication of this volume is especially...
