Systemic domestication: Korean chicken bones reveal 2,000-year-old Indigenous agricultural networks reshaping East Asian food systems

Indigenous Korean agricultural practices, such as the use of *jangdokdae* (fermentation pots) and seasonal poultry cycles, suggest a deep ecological knowledge system where chickens were not merely livestock but part of a symbiotic food web. Oral histories from Jeju Island describe chickens as 'guardians of the hearth,' linking their domestication to spiritual and subsistence practices. Archaeological biases have historically excluded these narratives, treating Indigenous knowledge as 'folklore' rather than data.

The diffusionist model of chicken dispersal from China to Korea to Japan ignores the *Gaya Confederacy* (1st–6th century CE), where Korean polities like the Geumgwan Gaya practiced advanced metallurgy and agriculture, potentially including poultry. Parallels exist in the *Jōmon period* of Japan (14,000–300 BCE), where Indigenous communities managed wild fowl before formal domestication. The Little Ice Age (1300–1850 CE) may have accelerated selective breeding for cold resilience, a pattern seen in European poultry as well.

In Andean cultures, guinea pigs (*Cavia porcellus*) were domesticated for meat, medicine, and ritual, mirroring Korea’s chicken practices. The *ayni* system of reciprocal labor in the Andes parallels Korean *dure* (mutual aid) in poultry farming, where communities shared breeding stock. Both systems demonstrate how domestication is embedded in social reciprocity, not just economic utility. The Eurocentric focus on 'progress' obscures these communal innovations.

Genomic analysis of ancient chicken bones from Korea could reveal selective pressures for traits like disease resistance, egg production, or cold tolerance, aligning with modern poultry science. The study’s methodology likely relies on radiocarbon dating and stable isotope analysis, but it may overlook zooarchaeological biases (e.g., fragmentary remains skewing toward ritual deposits). Comparative genomics with Southeast Asian chickens could clarify domestication pathways.

Korean *minhwa* (folk paintings) often depict chickens as symbols of prosperity and vigilance, reflecting their role in agricultural calendars. In Korean shamanic traditions, chickens are offerings to *sanshin* (mountain spirits), linking their domestication to spiritual stewardship. The *Samguk Yusa* (13th century) records chickens as messengers between realms, suggesting a cosmological dimension to their management. These artistic records provide a counter-narrative to purely economic interpretations.

Climate projections for East Asia suggest increased heat stress and disease pressure on poultry, making Korean Indigenous breeds (e.g., *Korean native chicken*) critical for resilience. Scenario modeling could explore how reviving traditional poultry systems might reduce reliance on industrial feedlots, which contribute 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Policy pathways could integrate Indigenous knowledge into national biodiversity strategies, as seen in New Zealand’s *Whanganui River* legal personhood model.

Women, who historically managed poultry in Korean households, are absent from archaeological narratives despite their role in selective breeding. Small-scale farmers in rural Korea, often elderly or Indigenous, possess unrecorded knowledge of poultry genetics and disease resistance. The erasure of these voices aligns with global patterns where Indigenous agricultural knowledge is commodified (e.g., quinoa) but not credited. Centering these perspectives could democratize food system innovation.