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Archaeological Research for Supply and Demand of Cowry Shells in Ancient China

Research Project

Project/Area Number 13571038
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Section海外学術
Research Field 考古学(含先史学)
Research InstitutionKumamoto University

Principal Investigator

KINOSHITA Naoko  Kumamoto University, Faculty of Letters, Professor, 文学部, 教授 (70169910)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) KOMOTO Masayuki  Kumamoto University, Faculty of Letters, Professor, 文学部, 教授 (70072717)
KUROZUMI Taiji  Tuba The Natural History Museum and Institute, Chiba curator, 上席研究員 (80250140)
王 巍  中国社会科学院考古研究所, 副所長
Project Period (FY) 2001 – 2004
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 2004)
Budget Amount *help
¥11,100,000 (Direct Cost: ¥11,100,000)
Fiscal Year 2004: ¥1,900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,900,000)
Fiscal Year 2003: ¥2,000,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,000,000)
Fiscal Year 2002: ¥3,800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,800,000)
Fiscal Year 2001: ¥3,400,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,400,000)
Keywordscowry shell / In dynasty / An-yang / China / Ryukyu archipelago / Yellow river Valley / Taiwan / joint research / 新石器時代 / 流通 / 威信財 / マクラガイ / 青銅器文化 / 台湾海峡 / シャンクガイ / 搬入ルート / 流入ルート / 中国東南沿岸 / 殷墟 / 青海省
Research Abstract

Cowry shells, Family Cypraeidae, are used as prestige or money in ancient China. A great number of cowry shells are found in the archaeological sites which belong to the age of 2300BC to 400BC along Yellow river valley, although cowry shells mostly live in the tropical and the Temperate zone, far from Yellow river area.
The purpose of this study is to investigate from where cowry shells came, and understand the route and area trough which the shells were brought, and based on these results discuss the relation between China and the Ryukyu archipelago where many cowry shells subsist.
In these four years we surveyed 21993 shells from 183 tombs and ritual remains of 32sites, and made unified style records for every specimen. Following are our results :
1.The shells found in north China along Yellow river valley composed from 67speaseas of 18 families of 2classes, and above 90% of them are cowries.
2.In 11142shells found in An-yang, the capital city of In dynasty, 76%shells inhabit in present Taiwan, South China Sea and Ryukyu archipelago, 18% live in South China Sea and East China Sea.
3.Depending on the composition of the shells in An-yang, it is hard to notice that many shells are from Indian Ocean.
4.It is very possible that cowry shells along Yellow river valley were gathered at the coast of the south-east China belonging Taiwan.
5.In Shandong peninsula there is an An-yang type site which also has a large number of cowry shells. Based on some archaeological evidences it is very possible that the people in Shandong peninsula played an important role in bringing shells from south to west, to An-yang.
6.Just at the time when cowries are very popular in An-yang and north China, Chinese jade industry appeared in Taiwan and Ryukyu. It might be possible that people go to Taiwan and to Ryukyu for searching more cowries.

Report

(5 results)
  • 2004 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report Summary
  • 2003 Annual Research Report
  • 2002 Annual Research Report
  • 2001 Annual Research Report
  • Research Products

    (28 results)

All 2005 2003 2002 Other

All Journal Article (16 results) Book (1 results) Publications (11 results)

  • [Journal Article] 河南省殷墟出土貝類報告2005

    • Author(s)
      木下尚子
    • Journal Title

      中国・琉球列島間のタカラガイ需要・供給に関する実証的研究

      Pages: 1-2

    • Related Report
      2004 Annual Research Report
  • [Journal Article] 中国青海省の遺跡出土貝類報告2005

    • Author(s)
      木下尚子
    • Journal Title

      中国・琉球列島間のタカラガイ需要・供給に関する実証的研究

      Pages: 3-6

    • Related Report
      2004 Annual Research Report
  • [Journal Article] 貝類鑑定結果2005

    • Author(s)
      黒住耐二
    • Journal Title

      中国・琉球列島間のタカラガイ需要・供給に関する実証的研究

      Pages: 22-23

    • Related Report
      2004 Annual Research Report
  • [Journal Article] 殷墟出土貝類資料2005

    • Author(s)
      木下尚子
    • Journal Title

      中国・琉球列島間のタカラガイ需要・供給に関する実証的研究

      Pages: 24-78

    • Related Report
      2004 Annual Research Report
  • [Journal Article] 従古代中国看琉球列島的宝貝2003

    • Author(s)
      木下尚子
    • Journal Title

      四川文物 2003年1期

      Pages: 29-34

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      2004 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Journal Article] 東アジアの貝珠文化2003

    • Author(s)
      木下尚子
    • Journal Title

      東アジアと日本の考古学 III

      Pages: 219-260

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      2004 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Journal Article] Three Instances of the Adoption of Material Culture from the Japanese-Archipelago : A Look at Neolithic Kaishu2003

    • Author(s)
      木下尚子
    • Journal Title

      グローバリゼーションの歴史的前提に関する学際的研究

      Pages: 26-33

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      2004 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Journal Article] Shell Trade and Exchange in the Ryukyu Archipelago2003

    • Author(s)
      KINOSITA, Naoko
    • Journal Title

      Bulletin of the Iido-Pacific Prehistory Association 23

      Pages: 67-71

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      2004 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Journal Article] Relation between cowries in ancient China and Ryukyu archipelago2003

    • Author(s)
      KINOSITA, Naoko
    • Journal Title

      SICHUAN WENWU 2003-1

      Pages: 29-34

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      2004 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Journal Article] An Archao ; logical Study of Shell Beads in East Asia2003

    • Author(s)
      KINOSITA, Naoko
    • Journal Title

      Archaeology of Japan and East Asia vol.3

      Pages: 219-260

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      2004 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Journal Article] Three Instances of the Adoption of Material Culture from the Japanese-Archipelago : A Look at Neolithic Kaishu2003

    • Author(s)
      KINOSITA, Naoko
    • Journal Title

      An interdisciplinary approach for history and globalization

      Pages: 26-33

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      2004 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Journal Article] A General View of Shell Exchange System in the Ryukyu Archipelago from 2000BC To Ad15002002

    • Author(s)
      KINOSITA, Naoko
    • Journal Title

      Seventeenth Congress The Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association Abstracts 17

      Pages: 112-112

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      2004 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Journal Article] 古代中国からみた琉球列島のタカラガイ2002

    • Author(s)
      木下尚子
    • Journal Title

      世界に拓く沖縄研究 第4回沖縄研究国際シンポジウム 4

      Pages: 67-71

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      2004 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Journal Article] A General View of Shell Exchange System in the Ryukyu Archipelago from 2000BC To Ad15002002

    • Author(s)
      KINOSITA, Naoko
    • Journal Title

      Seventeenth Congress The Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association Abstracts

      Pages: 112-112

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      2004 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Journal Article] Relation between cowries in ancient China and Ryukyu archipelago2002

    • Author(s)
      KINOSITA, Naoko
    • Journal Title

      The 4th international Okinawa symposium

      Pages: 67-71

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      2004 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Journal Article] Shell Trade and Exchange in the Ryukyu Archipelago

    • Author(s)
      KINOSITA, Naoko
    • Journal Title

      Bulletin of the Iido-Pacific Prehistory Association vol.23

      Pages: 67-71

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      2004 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Book] 中国新石器時代至漢代出土海貝的産地與輸送路線及其背景2003

    • Author(s)
      木下尚子
    • Total Pages
      144
    • Publisher
      熊本大学文学部考古学研究室
    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      2004 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] 木下尚子: "従古代中国看琉球列島的宝貝"四川文物. 1期. 26-33 (2003)

    • Related Report
      2003 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 木下尚子: "Shell Trade and Exchange in the Ryukyu Archipelago"Bulletin of the Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association. 23. 67-71 (2003)

    • Related Report
      2003 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 木下尚子: "共同研究の目的、方法、経過ならびにいくつかの成果"中国古代のタカラガイ使用と流通、その意味. 1. 2-8 (2003)

    • Related Report
      2003 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 王 巍: "タカラガイと中国古代商周王朝"中国古代のタカラガイ使用と流通、その意味. 1. 9-10 (2003)

    • Related Report
      2003 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 甲元眞之: "東北アジアの先史時代の生業活動"小田冨士雄先生退官記念論集. (2004)

    • Related Report
      2003 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 黒住耐二: "貝類学からみた中国古代遺跡出土貝類の供給地"中国古代のタカラガイ使用と流通、その意味. 1. 12-40 (2003)

    • Related Report
      2003 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 木下尚子(編著): "中国新石器時代至漢代出土海貝的産地與輸送路線及背景"熊本大学文学部考古学研究室・木下研究室. 144 (2003)

    • Related Report
      2003 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] Naoko Kinoshita: "Shelll Trade and Exchange in the Prehistory of the Ryukyu Archipelago"Seventeenth Congress The Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association. 112 (2003)

    • Related Report
      2002 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 木下尚子: "古代中国からみた琉球列島のタカラガイ"世界に拓く沖縄研究 第4回沖縄研究国際シンポジウム. 182-191 (2002)

    • Related Report
      2002 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 黒住耐二: (2002)

    • Related Report
      2002 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 木下尚子ほか: "『第4回沖縄研究国際シンポジウム-世界に拓く沖縄研究』"沖縄文化協会・第4回沖縄研究国際シンポジウム実行委員会(予定). (2002)

    • Related Report
      2001 Annual Research Report

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Published: 2001-04-01   Modified: 2016-04-21  

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