| Research Abstract |
The present study was designed to reveal the profile of the spread of culture during ancient times and the medieval period by investigating charcoal-marked pottery excavated from provinces around Japan.
In northern Kyushu, pottery with inscription was seen since the 3rd century, and seems to have been influenced by the culture of Korean Peninsula. In southern Kyushu, in contrast, charcoal-marked pottery was seen since the 8th century, which coincides the spread of the political system based on the Ritsuryo law codes to this province. The number of the pottery peaked in the 8-9th century in northern Kyushu, while it peaked in the 9-10th century in southern Kyushu. The pottery from northern Kyushu had inscription mainly on the body, and was generally Sueki, gray solid pottery introduced from Korean Peninsula. Meanwhile, the pottery from southern Kyushu had inscription mainly on the bottom, and was generally Hajiki, indigenous reddish pottery.
From Kanto area, far more charcoal-marked pottery has been excavated than from Kyushu. In this area, the pottery appeared in the 8th century, peaked in the 9th century, and was generally Hajiki.
From Tohoku Province, although the Province was a local district as Kyushu in ancient times, far more charcoal-marked pottery has been excavated than from Kyushu, indicating the cultural exchange with Kanto area. The pottery appeared in the 8th century in the southern Tohoku Province, while in the 9th century in the northern Tohoku Province. This coincides the spread of the Ritsuryo political system. Diachronic changes of charcoal-marked pottery from Iwate Prefecture in Tohoku Province resemble to those of the pottery from Miyazaki Prefecture.
From the results above, the culture of charcoal-marked pottery may have spread describing a concentric circle with Kinai, the center of Japan in those days, its center.
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