Beautiful edition with a new introduction to the intriguing and unique history of Korea, its mythology and its people. Korea's myths and folklore are rooted in the ancient history of a land inhabited since Neolithic times. The earliest years are subject to myth with some references to the Gojoseon Kingdom being found in the northern region of Korea and Southern province of China in the 2300s BCE. Records become more reliable from the middle of the first millennium BCE before a 700-year stretch which is referred to as The Three Kingdom period before the ultimate domination of one of those Kingdoms, Silla, roughly at the time of the Viking Age in Europe and Scandinavia. Before long, though, the Mongol invasions of Korea in the 1200s overwhelmed the local rulers. Over 200 years later the Joseon Dynasty swept to power, heralding a golden era of independence, scientific and social development, and the creation of the Korean alphabet. AUTHOR: Jake Jackson has written, edited and contributed to over 20 books on mythology and folklore. Related works include studies of Babylonian creation myths, the philosophy of time and William Blake's use of mythology in his visionary literature. Hardback, Deluxe edition, foiled and embossed, with gilded edges