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Gaya confederacy
Duck-shaped pottery from Gaya, 5th or 6th century.
Korean name
Hangul 가야 Hanja 加耶 or 伽倻 Revised Romanization Gaya McCune-Reischauer Kaya

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Gaya was a confederacy of city-states in the Nakdong River valley of southern Korea, growing out of the Byeonhan confederacy of the Samhan period (Samhan refers to the ancient confederacies of Mahan, Jinhan, and Byeonhan in central and southern Korean peninsula). By the fourth century, Mahan was fully absorbed into the Baekje kingdom, Jinhan into the Silla kingdom, and Byeonhan into the Gaya confederacy, which was later annexed by Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea.

Although most commonly referred to as Gaya (가야; 加耶, 伽耶, 伽倻), probably due to the imprecision of transcribing Korean words into hanja, historical sources use a variety of names, including Kaya, Garak (가락; 駕洛, 迦落), Gara (가라; 加羅, 伽羅, 迦羅, 柯羅), Garyang (가량;加良), and Guya (구야; 狗耶).

This iron helmet illustrates the skill of iron-working and importance of iron from the Nakdong River valley.

According to a legend recorded in the Samguk Yusa written in the 13th century, in the year 42 CE, six eggs descended from the heaven with message that they would be kings. Six boys were born, and within 12 days they grew mature. One of them, named Suro, became the king of Geumgwan Gaya, and the other five founded the other five Gayas, namely Daegaya, Seongsan Gaya, Ara Gaya, Goryeong Gaya, and Sogaya.

Gaya arose from the twelve tribes of the ancient Byeonhan, one of the Samhan confederacies. The loosely organized chiefdoms resolved into six Gaya groups, centered around Geumgwan Gaya. On the basis of archeological sources as well as limited written records, scholars such as Cheol (2000) have identified the late 3rd century as a period of transition from Byeonhan to Gaya, with increasing military activity and changing funerary customs. Cheol (2000) further argues that this was associated with the replacement of the previous elite in some principalities (including Daegaya) by elements from Buyeo, who brought a more militaristic style of rule.

The Gaya Confederacy disolved under pressure from Goguryeo between 391 and 412 AD, although the last Gaya cities remained free until they were absorbed by the Silla in 532 AD (see Daegaya.

Horn-shaped cup from Gaya that may illustrate connection of Persian culture through the Silk Road to Korea.

Situated around the mouth of the Nakdong River, an area with fertile plains, access to the sea, and rich iron deposits, Gaya had an economy based on agriculture and fishing as well as trade. It was particularly known for its ironworking, as Byeonhan had been before it. Gaya exported abundant quantities of iron armor and weaponry to Baekje and the Kingdom of Wa in Yamato period Japan. In contrast to the largely commercial and non-political ties of Byeonhan, Gaya seems to have attempted to maintain strong political ties with these kingdoms as well.

Different records list different city-states of Gaya. Goryeo Saryak (고려사략; 高麗史略) lists five: Geumgwan Gaya, Goryeong Gaya, Bihwa Gaya, Ara Gaya, and Seongsan Gaya.

The various Gaya city-states formed a confederacy in the 2nd and 3rd centuries, centered around its capital Geumgwan Gaya in modern Gimhae. After a period of decline, the confederacy was revived around the turn of the 5th and 6th centuries, this time centred around Daegaya of modern Goryeong, but it was unable to defend itself against the neighboring kingdom of Silla.

Gaya's relations with Japan is a matter of extensive controversy. Korean scholars believe that Wa may have been a colony or tributary of Baekje with archaeological evidence suggests that Gaya was the main exporter of technology and culture to Kyushu at this time.[1]. Japanese point to the Nihonshoki, which claims that Gaya (named "Mimana" also "Kara" in Japanese) was a colony or tributary of Japan.

Gaya pottery at the National Museum of Korea.

Shield ornaments.

• List of Korea-related topics
• History of Korea
• List of Korean monarchs#Gaya_confederacy
• Three Kingdoms of Korea
• Crown of Gaya
• Gaya - Silla Wars

Cheol, S.K. (2000). Relations between Kaya and Wa in the third to fourth centuries AD. Journal of East Asian Archeology 2(3-4), 112-122.