2005 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
A Study of the Timber Selection of Wood Coffins in the Kofun Period
| Project/Area Number |
15520489
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Archaeology
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| Research Institution | Kashihara Archaeological Institute , Nara prefecture |
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Principal Investigator |
OKABAYASHI Kosaku Kashihara Archaeological Institute , Nara prefecture, 1st Unit, Department of Research, Senior Reseacher (80250380)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2003 – 2005
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| Keywords | the Kofun Period / wood coffins / wood species identification / Japanese umbrella pine |
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| Research Abstract |
In this research, we examined the materials for wood coffins excavated from tumuli in the Kofun Period, as making trial of a research based on the theory of archaeological remains study. The outline of this research is as follows; We carried out wood species identifications of wood coffins, and accumulated investigation examples. Simultaneously we made a nationwide database of investigated examples of the wood species of excavated coffins, and based on them, analyzed regionality/hierarchy characteristics and some changes for the each stages. The identified wood species data of 165 examples has becollected. The ratio of Gymnospermae (needle-leaf trees) and Angiospermae( broadleaf trees) is 91%: 9%. Especially, use of Japanese umbrella pine( Sciadopitys verticillata) form 51% of the whole, and we can see a clear tendency for a distribution of Japanese umbrella pine coffins to be restricted to the area of Kinki district and the periphery. As other wood species, there are a little Japan ce
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dars (Cryptomeria japonica) and Japanese cypresses (Chamaecyparis obtusa), but the clear selectivity of use which is seen by the Japanese umbrella pines is not recognized in these. In the area of Kinki and the periphery the rate of Japanese umbrella pines is near 90% at the early and mid Kofun Period. However, this rate decreased in the late Kofun Period, and in the 7th century A. D. the selectivity no longer was seen. It is thought that the factor of this situation was lack of the resources by mass consumption of Japanese umbrella pine woods. Since the framework of the selective use area of Japanese umbrella pine woods did not change through the Kofun Period, the existence of a certain timbers supply system which supplied Japanese umbrella pine woods is assumed. Moreover, supplying with Japanese umbrella pine timbers for coffins to the Baekjae Imperial mausoleums was performed in the 6-7th century A. D.. This is interesting as a fact which suggests a participation in the system of the Japanese Imperial sovereignty. Less
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