| Budget Amount *help |
¥2,900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,900,000)
Fiscal Year 2005: ¥900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000)
Fiscal Year 2004: ¥2,000,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,000,000)
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| Research Abstract |
We tried to elucidate the cause of skeletal injuries observed on ancient humans excavated from remains of Chinese Shang Dynasty. Eighteen among 192 individuals (9.4%) had certain skeletal injuries. In 10 out of the 18 injured bones, identification of the bronze weapon which had formed the wounds was possible by reviewing many documents about weapons used in the Shang of those days, analysis based on X-ray and CT images, and reproduction experiments of injuries using bones of an animal. Especially, a case which a fragment of a bronze weapon stuck in on a top of the skull was the oldest one, that a weapon was scientifically identified, in Chinese archeology history. The capital of the Shang takes a form of a fort city surrounded by a castle wall by fieldwork. Moreover, many fights with the other nation were frequent at that time. In this experiment, many human bones excavated from a grave of common people were found to have injuries formed by bronze weapons. This fact is archeologically interesting because it proves the historical fact that fighting with a foreign enemy was done in the capital of the Shang Dynasty. Various rare injuries were observed on bones of sacrifices. But because we are not possible to give a presentation if do not undergo the official authorization of the China government about showing photographs of sacrifices' bones and analysis results of the injuries, now we are applying for permission of presentation to the government.
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