ABSTRACT
Kaya is an enigma in Korean state formation since the Kaya chiefdoms never seemed to coalesce into a strong, centralised state. Nevertheless, the economic position of the early Kaya polities in stoneware and iron production meant they were alternately courted and fought over by the more powerful states surrounding them. This chapter examines the origins of the Kaya from historical and archaeological sources, and provides the context for viewing the industrial data.
