The Society for East Asian Archaeology (SEAA) is pleased to announce the recipients of the Graduate Student Paper Awards presented at the 10th International Conference of the Society for East Asian Archaeology (SEAA 10). This year’s awards recognise outstanding graduate research by Sunjung Lee (Kyungpook National University) and Yun-chun Kan (University College London), whose papers demonstrate methodological rigor and substantive contributions to East Asian archaeology.
Sunjung Lee was awarded for the paper “The Tradition of Pottery Production Techniques for Burial Goods during the Bronze Age in Korea.”
Using the concept of chaîne opératoire, this study examines pottery production traditions based on 45 burial vessels excavated from tombs at the Daepyeong-ri site in Jinju, a major Early–Middle Bronze Age settlement in Korea. The analysis shows that while vessel form, size, decoration, and surface treatment changed over time, other production techniques remained stable. These findings suggest a gradual technological evolution rather than abrupt change, closely linked to the introduction of new burial customs and the adaptive responses of local pottery-making groups.
Yun-chun Kan received the award for the paper “Cooking in ‘the centre of the world’: Micro-structural archaeobotanical analysis on charred food remains from Wangchenggang (Henan, China).”
Focusing on the renowned Longshan-period site of Wangchenggang, this research presents the first tissue-based microstructural analysis of charred food remains preserved on cooking vessels such as ding, li, yan, and guan. Using SEM microscopy and histological analysis, the study reconstructs everyday culinary practices from the late Longshan to the Erligang period, revealing both continuity and change in food preparation during a critical phase of social complexity in northern China. SEAA warmly congratulates both award recipients on their excellent research and contributions to the field.