| Budget Amount *help |
¥2,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,300,000)
Fiscal Year 2002: ¥600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥600,000)
Fiscal Year 2001: ¥900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000)
Fiscal Year 2000: ¥800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000)
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| Research Abstract |
In northern Pacific Rim regions, animal skin has long been used as a material forvarious products of all sizes because of its significant workability and heat-retaining and water-resistant properties. This material does, however, need to be tanned before use. This is tedious and time-consuming process. Previous studies on the tanning techniques of northern ethnic groups were generally based on simple logic that contrasts two opposing factors - crude Paleo-Asiatic skills and complicated Tungusic techniques - and simply concluded that the former was overtaken by the latter. It is unnatural, however, to assume that tanning techniques, once established, remained as they were. Even in the tundra area, complicated tanning techniques (e.g., the use of a mixture of liver and brain or smoking) came into practice and the tools used for these techniques were improved accordingly. Also, different techniques and tools were used depending on the type of leather and its intended use. Simple skills we
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re often combined with more complicated ones. Through this study, it was substantiated that fur manufacturing techniques did not develop in a limited cultural domain or under a specific natural environment, but that they changed variably through involvement in a market economy, commodity trade, and job specialization systems, which were expanded in conjunction with increasing contact between ethnic groups and the advancement of the Western powers. Another focus of this study is the tanning and distribution of beaver and sea otter skins, which came to be valued highly in the modem market, with consideration of the policies of statutory companies that intended to exploit fur in the occupied area.
In response to the rising demand for fur in the European and Chinese markets, a rapid increase in fur production by indigenous people occurred. The development of tanning techniques for small fur animals led to the introduction of more efficient technologies. This study highlights defects in previous studies that are characterized by their conservative attitudes of paying attention solely to traditional skills that were only applicable to large animals in specific areas. Also, because this study did not consider specific regions, but rather the overall northern Pacific Rim area, it was possible to successfully clarify the characteristics of each region. Less
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