''Gamasot'' (), or simply ''sot'' (), is a big, heavy pot or

cauldron A cauldron (or caldron) is a large pot ( kettle) for cooking or boiling over an open fire, with a lid and frequently with an arc-shaped hanger and/or integral handles or feet. There is a rich history of cauldron lore in religion, mythology, and ...

used for Korean cooking.

Origin

The origins of the ‘sot’ originate in the "Chung" which is made of bronze. Researchers have speculated that copper would be easier to handle because it has a lower melting point than steel. Bronze ‘sot’ are frequently unearthed as remains of the

Three Kingdoms period The Three Kingdoms () from 220 to 280 AD was the tripartite division of China among the dynastic states of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu. The Three Kingdoms period was preceded by the Eastern Han dynasty and was followed by the Wester ...

, because the meaning of 'Chung' was symbolic of the nation, the throne, and the industry. However, the history of iron ‘sot’ goes up to the Bronze Age much earlier than the

. The copper ‘sot’ on the Korean Peninsula were first discovered in the remains of Gojoson, which belongs to the late Bronze Age Korean copper sword culture period. A large amount of ‘sot’ is excavated from the ruins of the 'Hansa-gun' which was installed as the

Gojoseon Gojoseon () also called Joseon (), was the first kingdom on the Korean Peninsula. According to Korean mythology, the kingdom was established by the legendary founder named Dangun. Gojoseon possessed the most advanced culture in the Korean P ...

was destroyed by Han in 108 BC. In particular, the remains of ‘Nakrang-gun’ are famous for the largest number of pots among the four groups.

Shape

It was very large and recessed to fit the large family of Korea. In general, '' gama'' mean utensils when lighting a fire, and ''sot'' means pot and bowl that cook rice. The gamasot has no legs and the bottom of the pot is round and usually has a small recess at the edge of the entrance. There are four projections on the body, which is convenient to put across the stove. The lid is made of iron, and it has a convenient tap in the middle.

History

From ancient times, the pot was not simply a device for cooking food, but a symbol of kingship, power, state, and industry. It was used as a tool to record the achievements of public figures or to punish corrupt officials, religious ceremonies, or food for the dead. Cooking rice in ''gamasot'' is a longstanding custom in Korea, that began at least during the reign of King Daemusin (18‒44 CE) in

Goguryeo Goguryeo (37 BC–668 AD) ( ) also called Goryeo (), was a Korean kingdom located in the northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula and the southern and central parts of Northeast China. At its peak of power, Goguryeo controlled mos ...

Usage

In the

hanok A ''hanok'' () is a traditional Korean house. ''Hanok'' were first designed and built in the 14th century during the Joseon dynasty. Korean architecture considers the positioning of the house in relation to its surroundings, with thought giv ...

's kitchen, agungi can be used for heating and cooking, and gamasot is a large pot designed for use as a cooking utensil. Gamasot is very large, so it is common to use it almost fixed to agungi. Gamasot is a Korean traditional pot that has kept its kitchen for a long time. There were few places where it is not used, such as making fire, cooking rice, frying the side dishes and steaming. The closest thing to real life was gamasot. It is an important cooking tool that can not be used for cooking in Korea. Therefore, the pot was a history of the family.

Gallery

File:Bap (cooked rice) 2.jpg, ''Sot bap'', rice cooked in ''gamasot'' File:Ansan Cultural Center 07.JPG, ''Gamasot'' (Ansan Cultural Center,

Ansan Ansan (Hangeul: , ) is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. It lies southwest of Seoul and is part of the Seoul National Capital Area. It is connected to Seoul by rail via Seoul Subway Line 4. It is situated on the Yellow Sea coast and so ...

) File:Korea-Andong-Dosan Seowon-Kitchen-01.jpg, Traditional Korean kitchen with ''gamasot'' (

Dosan Seowon Dosan Seowon (alternatively, ''Tosansowon'') was established in 1574 in what is present day Andong, South Korea, in memory of and four years after the death of Korean Confucian scholar Yi Hwang by some of his disciples and other Korean Confucia ...

Andong Andong () is a city in South Korea, and the capital of North Gyeongsang Province. It is the largest city in the northern part of the province with a population of 167,821 as of October 2010. The Nakdong River flows through the city. Andong is a m ...

) File:Miners' kitchen 3.jpg, Miners' kitchen with ''gamasot'' (Cheonpo Gold Mine Village,

Jeongseon Jeongseon (''Jeongseon-gun'') is a county in the province of Gangwon-do, South Korea. It is famous as the hometown of "Jeongseon Arirang," a traditional Korean folksong. It is also the hometown of actor Won Bin and footballer Seol Ki-hyeon. ...

) File:Q12605101 아궁이 A01.jpeg, gamasot & agung-i File:Gamasot Miryang.jpg, Gamasot Miryang File:Sotbap.jpg, Sotbap, cooked rice in Gamasot File:Miners' kitchen 2.jpg, Gamasot in Miners' kitchen File:Buttumak.jpg, Gamasot located outside File:Korea-War Memorial of Korea-01.jpg, Gamasot in Korean-war

References

{{Reflist Cauldrons Korean food preparation utensils Containers