HOME > Journal > No.20

"NIHON KÔKOGAKU" 20 Abstracts

[A] : Article, [RN] : Research Note, [PR] : Preliminary Report of Excavation, [BR] : Book Review

No.20 October 2004; 151p., ISSN 1340-8488, ISBN 4-642-09095-9
[A] Ryuzo Fujiyama Living Behaviors at the End of the Ice Age 1-23
[A] Daisei Kodama The Reconstruction of Bengala Production Mainly in Kamegaoka Culture 25-45
[A] Motohiro Tanaka Emergence and Development of Shonai-Style Pottery at the Beginning of the Kofun Period in Kinai Area 47-73
[A] Nobuya Ami Origin and Development of Kawarazumi-Kidan, Foundation Platforms Faced with Stacked Roof Tiles, in Japan: Mainly from Kinai Region 75-92
[A] Toshihiko Miyake Distribution of Iron Coins in East Asia from the 10th to 13th Centuries 93-110
[RN] Masanori Kawane, Isao Ishikawa, and Shingo Ueki From Feature and Element Composition Analysis of Kanfei-Tsuho Bronze Coins 111-133
[PR] Teruhisa Yamamoto and Reiko Koizumi Results of Excavation Research at Nakayashiki Site, Kanagawa Prefecture: Carbonized Rice and Earthen Pits in the Early Yayoi Period 135-147

Living Behaviors at the End of the lce Age

Ryuzo Fujiyama

In this article, thoughts were expressed on changes in living behaviors from the Pre-Pottery Period to the early Jomon Period and their background, mainly from site distribution of the south Kanto region (western half). Site distribution in south Kanto changed drastically from the phase preceding Ryukisenmon potteries (Phase 1) to the phase with Ryukisenmon potteries (Phase 2). There were also significant changes in the composition of stone tools and materials between these phases. This was a reflection of changes in living behaviors. In Phase 1, people led a middle-range migratory life in which they moved within a large area, whereas in Phase 2, people led a short-range circling life where their movement was mostly limited within a small area. The background of the change was environmental factors such as the development of deciduous broadleaf forests. In Phase 2 where new plant resources were developed, intensive resource utilization within a small area became possible, and living behaviors of Phase I were drastically changed.

Keywords:

page top

The Reconstruction of Bengala Production Mainly in Kamegaoka Culture

Daisei Kodama

Bengala (Red iron oxide) production in Jomon Period is understood as far as the crushing and grinding of materials into a powder. What is not understood well is the methods to produce fine and even particles. There were two methods to produce Bengala from limonite and hematite. Production with established methods partly began in the Upper Paleolithic period.

At the site of Kamegaoka culture, from southern Hokkaido to northern Tohoku, many pieces of hematite were excavated. At the Utetsu site, 2,300 pieces, about 65 kg, of hematite were excavated with many stone implements and pottery pieces with Bengala on their surface.

For this article, I tried a factual reconstruction of Bengala production through analysis of documents related to red pigments and experiments involving pigment production at the Utetsu site.

From the result, I solved the entire process of Bengala production. First, hematite is hit and broken into shale-1ike part and the part that is like coke. Next, only the coke-1ike part is crushed and ground. It is levigated with water. The red suspension produced after levigation is boiled and milled in the pottery. Bengala production by this boiling milling method can make fine and even powder, and it can produce large amounts easily.

The development of the method like the one in this article must be related to increase of the red-colored remains limited to Kamegaoka culture.

Keywords:

page top

Emergence and Development of Shonai-Style Pottery at the Beginning of the Kofun Period in Kinai Area

Motohiro Tanaka

This research attempts to summarize regional exchanges by observing differences in the development of pottery making techniques between villages. What was the pattern of exchange within the Kinai area at the beginning of the Kofun Period (3rd to 4th century) ? In this article, we tried to find the answer by focusing on lineages of production techniques for pot-shaped earthenware (so called Shonaigame) and refinery vessels, characteristic among Shonai-style pottery and Furu-style pottery. Results of the analysis showed that Shonai-style pottery emerged at Nakata sites in the Nakakawachi area of Osaka Prefecture, and spread to areas such as southeastern part of Yamato (Nara Prefecture) , Settsu (Osaka Prefecture) and Kitayamashiro/Minamiyamashiro (Kyoto) through exchanges between major villages. Also it was revealed from the relationship of exchanges and the distribution range that within each area there existed a center-outskirt relationship between the major villages and other villages.

Keywords:

page top

Origin and Development of Kawarazumi-Kidan, Foundation Platforms Faced with Stacked Roof Tiles, in Japan: Mainly from Kinai Region

Nobuya Ami

One way of increasing the strength and solemnity of kidan, a foundation platform found in the construction of temples, is to face it with stacked roof-tiles (kawarazumi-kidan). This is a technique in which roof-tiles are laid flat around the foundation platform. It was popular in Paekche on the Korean Peninsula. In Japan it has emerged in temples around Otsunomiya (Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture) to which the capital was moved in 667, and it may have existed in temples around Naniwanagaratoyosakimiya (former Naniwanomiya in Osaka City, 652-668). The change was probably brought by immigration of exiled artisans after the fall of Paekche (660). However, the newly emerged kawarazumi-kidan, was a somewhat "Japanese style" kidan, different from those in Paekche. There is a possibility that the technique of kawarazumi-kidan itself was introduced about one century earlier. The Yamato Government in the 6th to 7th centuries was politically close to Paekche and learned many temple construction techniques from Paekche, starting at the end of the 6th century, but somehow kawarazumi-kidan was not adopted. In the Asuka/Yamato region (northern Nara Prefecture), a foundation platform with traditional stone techniques was preferred. The spread of the "Japanese style" kawarazumi-kidan around Otsunomiya and Naniwanomiya was the result of the fusion between Japanese techniques for foundation platform construction that had been accumulated since the end of 6th century, and a roof-tile stacking technique imported from Paekche. It was made possible in the new capital, which was free from Asuka traditions.

Keywords:

page top

Distribution of lron Coins in East Asia from the 10th to 13th Centuries

Toshihiko Miyake

During the 10th to 13th centuries bronze coins were the standard currency in East Asia. However, iron coins were produced (minted) and circulated in Xi Xia (1038-1227) , Northern Song (960-1127) and Southern Song (1127-1279) , to supplement bronze coins. By analyzing enormous amounts of hoarded coins that were excavated from various places, and historical documents, the conclusion was that the purpose of hoarding was to deal with "increases in military expense prevention of bronze coin outflow to other countries," and "shortages of copper production."

Also, another reason for hoarding many coins was warfare. Dating for hoarded coins coincided with times of war in each country and it is clear that the coins were buried at times of urgent evacuation.

Keywords:

page top

From Feature and Element Composition Analysis of Kan'ei-Tsuho Bronze Coins

Masanori Kawane, Isao Ishikawa, and Shingo Ueki

Issuing currency was a big project for a national economy. In order to switch from imported coins from China (toraisen), that were circulating in Japan from the end of the Heian Period, to self-produced coins, the Edo Government started production of Kan'ei-Tsuho bronze coins in 1636. The production of coins was continued until 1659 in fifteen locations, and new coins were circulated quickly. Kan'ei-Tsuho were cast coins (produced by casting melted bronze into a mold, then filed off the edges) and it was important to have enough skills and quality control. In the analysis of Kan'ei-Tsuho bronze coins excavated from a modern period grave at the point B of Miwanoyamadorokujin site, Chiba Prefecture, it became clear that the government's quality control was quite strict and that they prepared for the development of monetary economy with scrupulous care.

Keywords :

page top

Results of Excavation Research at Nakayashiki Site, Kanagawa Prefecture: Carbonized Rice and Earthen Pits in the Early Yayoi Period

Teruhisa Yamamoto and Reiko Koizumi

Nakayashiki site (Ohi Town, Ashigara County, Kanagawa Prefecture) was considered to have belonged to the Final Jomon Period to the Early Yayoi Period. According to excavation research by Showa Women's University (1999-2004) , Early Yayoi pottery, carbonized rice, foxtail millet, horse chestnuts, etc. were found from many pits thought to have been middens. The date of these artifacts was measured as 5th to 4th century B.C. by C-14 dating. The result of this research was an actual dating of the site to the Early Yayoi Period as well as an indication that the diet of the time included cereals like rice and foxtail millet, and nuts like horse chestnuts.

Keywords :

JAA
page top