These hand knives, which were discovered at Wooden-coffin Grave 1 at the site of Daho-ri in Changwon, have enormous historical significance, because they confirm the existence of written language in southern Korea by at least the first century BCE. In ancient times, people used brushes and ink to write on tablets of bamboo or wood; small knives, such as these, were used like erasers, to scrape the ink off the surface. Many such brushes and hand knives have been recovered from sites in China dating from the Warring States (476/403-221 BCE) and Han periods (206 BCE-220 CE). A hand knife encased within a flat, lacquered sheath was discovered along with five brushes at Daho-ri. The occupant of the tomb where the brushes and knife were found may have played a key role in keeping records of trade relations with foreign lands. At present, the hand knife and brushes from Daho-ri represent the earliest example of writing implements ever found in Korea.