Abstract
This is a basic study of the remaining armors and helmets of the Joseon period for our better understanding and better maintenance of them. For the purpose, this paper shall try to show the present situations of the remaining armor and helmets of the period in Korea, and their typical classification for periodization, and the nomenclature about them. First, to oversee the present situations of the remaining armor and helmets of the period, study was done about the kinds of armors and helmets, their users, and their possessors today. It was found that the exact dates and users were unclear for many cases of the armors and helmets under our consideration. It is understandable when we consider many of them were exported to foreign countries, instead of being well-preserved in Korea upon excavations. Secondly, for their typical classifications for periodization, types were delineated from the pictures and drawings in reference to the periodical changes of them from Korean historical records. The result was that we can find out 4 types of armors, and 3 types of helmets, with their combinations. This shall be usefully applied for the better periodization of the remaining items. Thirdly, we come to the problem of naming of the remaining armors and helmets. For better nomenclature of the remains all the names of the armors and helmets for the Joseon period are collected from historical literature, to figure out some principles of nomenclature for them. I found some discrepancies with the present names of them, and my propositions are suggested to replace them.