Bangudae Petroglyphs

On a shale cliff above the Daegokcheon, three hundred-odd figures are pecked and carved into a panel about ten metres wide: whales of several identifiable species, one shown with a calf on its back, boats with crews, harpoons and floats, deer, tigers, and human figures. They are Neolithic to Bronze Age, and they constitute the earliest known depiction of organised whaling anywhere in the world - detailed enough that marine biologists have used them to identify species and hunting methods. The site was inscribed by UNESCO in 2023 together with the nearby Cheonjeon-ri carvings. Its problem is a dam built downstream in 1965, before the panel was found in 1971: for much of the year the water rises over the carvings, and the cycle of submersion and drying has been eroding them for decades. A long argument over how to fix it has produced a plan for a moveable barrier. Viewing is from a platform across the river.

What you actually see

• The carved panel - whales, boats, harpoons and animals, from across the water.
• The river and cliff - the setting the panel sits in.
• The museum - full-scale replica, casts and the conservation story.
• The Cheonjeon-ri panel - the second carved site, a short distance away.

When to go

Winter and spring, when the reservoir is low enough to expose the panel. In summer and after rain the carvings are underwater and there is nothing to see - check the water level before travelling.

Honest expectations

The panel is viewed from across the river and is small and faint at that distance - binoculars or the telescope on the platform are close to essential, and many visitors see very little. The museum replica is what most people actually look at. Both are free.

Nearby

The Cheonjeon-ri carvings and Ulsan's Daegok museum are close; Gyeongju is north.