Formation and Landscape of Jomon Stone Circle and other Monuments

Research Project

Project/Area Number	09410107
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Section	一般
Research Field	考古学(含先史学)
Research Institution	Kokugakuin University
Principal Investigator	KOBAYASHI Tatsuo Kokugakuin University, Department of literature, Professor, 文学部, 教授 (70119048)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	MIYAMOTO Nagazirou Tohoku University of Arts & Design, Department of Arts, Professor, 芸術学部, 教授 (60261252) SUZUKI Yasuhiko Nihon University, Department of Arts, Professor, 芸術学部, 教授 (20147680) KUMAGAI Tsunemasa Morioka University, Department of literature, Assistant Professor, 文学部, 助教授 (50275583) KIMOTO Masayasu Nagasaki Junior College of International Studies, Department of International Studies, Assistant Professor, 国際文化学科, 助教授 (30270127) KOJIMA Toshiaki Kanazawa University of Arts & Polytechnics, Department of Arts, Professor, 美術工芸学部, 教授 (80046169)
Project Period (FY)	1997 – 1999
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 1999)
Budget Amount *help	¥4,600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,600,000) Fiscal Year 1999: ¥2,200,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,200,000) Fiscal Year 1998: ¥2,400,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,400,000)
Keywords	stone circle / monument / landscape / mountain / solstice / equinox / formation process / two groups / 太陽の運行 / 関連記念物 / 尺度 / 縄文ランドスケープ / 影 / 2群の配石群 / 企画
Research Abstract	We has proved very successful we had seven symposium in various parts in Japan, and researched over 20 site, for example, Sannai-Maruyama in Aomori pref., Ohyu stone circles in Akita pref., Nomura in Gunma pref., Ushiisi in Yamanashi pref.. 1, The result obtained in this study demonstrated that design principles for monuments in Jomon, such as stone circles, related with the movement of sun and mountains around those sites. We named this relation Jomon monuments between sun and mountains "Jomon Landscapes". We figured out that Jomon people must have tried to express the summer and winter solstice and the vernal equinox in one monument. In many cases, main direction of features and the line from monuments to noticeable high mountains around there agreed with sunrise and sunset on the summer and winter solstice. The direction of sunrise and sunset on the vernal equinox calculate by both solstices. This attitude indicate that Jomon people took the matter important. In addition these facts, it is assumed that three peaks had important meaning for world view of Jomon people in Kanto district. At Ushiis stone circle, the direction from there to Mitsutouge Yama indicate the direction of sunset on the vernal spring equinox, and we confined similar relation at some sites in Annaka city from where we could see Myougi mountain that also has three peaks. 2, Toru Miyao studied about the formation process of stone circles, such as Komakino, Isedoutai, Ohyu, and revealed each stone circle was formed by placing two small groups of stone arrangements both opposite side of circus.