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The long stone-processing history of Korea is well illustrated by the Komunmoru relics in Huku-ri, Sangwon County, Pyongyang, belonging to the primitive age dating back to one million years and many other historical relics including various forms of stone implements and wares belonging to the Paleolithic and Neolithic ages.
The stone-craft in the period of the three kingdoms had developed by carrying forward fine techniques of the preceding ages from the ancient times.
The bead-processing technique of Koguryo (277 B.C. - 668 A.D.) was at a high level so as to decorate official hats of nobles and this technique boomed in Paekje and Silla, too.
Stone-craft was developed in a more diversified way in Koryo (918-1392).
Historical records say there were special stone-craft workshops in Kaesong (then Kaegyong) at that time.
In the period of Ri Dynasty (1392-1910) there were stone-processing, gemstone-processing, bead-making and millstone-making workshops and other handicraft workshops.
Typical of the stone-crafts was ink-stone, which was not only a favorite of the literary persons but also found its way to foreign countries for its quality.
Today the DPRK is tapping materials for stone-craft positively, extending the assortments of stone-crafts and developing and enriching stone-processing techniques and skills, thus producing lots of stone-crafts of high artistic value.
