Gaya Confederacy

The Gaya Confederacy was a unique entity that existed alongside the Three Kingdoms (Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla), but developed quite differently. Rather than it being a single, centralized kingdom, Gaya was a confederation of multiple independent city-states that coexisted with each having its own ruler and autonomy.

Gaya was situated in the Nakdong River area, in present day Gyeongsangnam-do. The history of Gaya is divided into Early Gaya (1st century BCE to 4th century CE), which was centred around present day Gimhae, and Late Gaya (5th and 6th century CE), which was focused on present day Goryeong.

The confederacy is thought to have originated with the arrival of refugees from Wiman Joseon (a Gojoseon dynasty). It had a well-developed economy that was based around farming, fishing, iron production and trade, including long distance trade which was greatly aided by its riverside location. Despite its proximity to Baekje and Silla, Gaya had a distinct identity and culture which can be seen clearly today from its physical remains.

Sadly, Gaya did not record its own history, although it is at times mentioned in the records of its neighbours. This lack of written records meant that it was overlooked for a long time. It was not until the 1970s, with the excavation of Gaya tombs, that more was learned. Since then, tombs and other archaeological sites have produced many artefacts and other forms of evidence that give us a glimpse of Gaya society. Gaya was eventually conquered by Silla in the 6th century.