This week on Jeju A to Z, Todd Thacker continues his profile of the various types of basalt stone walls that crisscross the island. These walls are vital to Jeju’s rural life and history, and are gaining more legal protections and heritage designations, including from UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization.
In previous segments of Jeju A to Z, we’ve heard about how the predominance of Jeju stone culture greatly affected island life. For centuries, locals made use of the porous volcanic basalt rock in new and innovative ways.

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Walls protect soil, crops, livestock from Jeju wind

These stones were dedicated to all sorts of applications: from construction, to farming, and demarcation. They protected the soil, crops, and farm animals from the strong winds here.

Jeju’s island geography has proven ideal for stock farming. On the slopes of Hallasan Mountain, stone walls were built to mark property lines between tracts of farmland and horse ranches. They also served as physical barriers to keep cattle and horses in their proper areas.

The jatdam (or stone fillers) are placed between the outer fences for people to walk through. The path, or gil, along the top is considered to be a thoughtful way of helping others to access the land.

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Walls as property markers date back at least 800 years

According to provincial government documents, the oldest record of these walls being used for property lines is thought to be about 800 years ago. This was when a government official from the mainland came to Jeju and ordered their construction. Some scholars think they date back even further -- both in time and use.

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UN ‘Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System’ (2014)

Even though it sounds like these stone walls are a remnant of an ancient, perhaps forgotten past, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. The United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization, for example, designated Jeju’s basalt stone walls a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System in 2014.

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Todd Thacker

There are plenty of jatdam on the middle slopes of Hallasan Mountain today, and they continue serve as stalwart and practical evidence of islander’s industriousness.

Todd Thacker KCTV