Saekki

Grey stoneware (hard pottery) from the Proto–Three Kingdoms era (2nd century BCE ‒ 3rd century CE) demonstrates evidence of saekki.[3] Ceramic sculptures of jipsin (straw shoes) from Silla (57 BCE ‒ 935 CE) indicates the usage of saekki in this period.[3]

During the Joseon era (1392–1897), sakgye (a guild of the tribute merchants of ropes) was one of the gonggye (guilds of tribute merchants, the government-licensed purchasing agents) that had monopolistic rights for supplying government requirements.[3] An early 19th century book, Mangi yoram, records the use of saekki as binding ropes for fabrics and papers to be delivered to Qing China as tribute.[3][4]

During the Japanese forced occupation (1910–1945), a large amount of saekki along with gamani (straw bags) were looted for military use by the Imperial Japanese Army.[3]

Saekki was widely used until the 1960s.[3] In the 1970s, the use of saekki waned with the spread of plastic, vinyl, and synthetic fiber ropes. Saekki has faced a resurgence at the end of the 20th century due to growing interest in traditional handicraft in recent decades.[3]

Saekki was used to make common items such as jipsin (straw shoes), gamani (straw bags), jige (A-shaped carrier frames) and goppi (cattle halters).[3] It was also used as geumjul (taboo ropes) to ward off malignant influences in Korean folk religion.[3]

• 
  Saekki (straw rope)
• 
  Jipsin (straw shoes)
• 
  Gamani (straw bag)
• 
  Jige (A-shaped carrier frame)
• 
  Goppi (cattle halter)
• 
  Geumjul (taboo ropes)

• Shimenawa