Experimental archaeological study for reconstructing the history of East Asian casting technology by contrastive experiment

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16H05946
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Archaeology
• Research Institution: Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties
• Principal Investigator: NIWA TAKAFUMI 独立行政法人国立文化財機構奈良文化財研究所, 都城発掘調査部, 主任研究員 (40455564)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 鋳造技術 / 対照実験 / 実験考古学 / 土製鋳型 / 青銅器 / 東アジア

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In reconstructing manufacturing technologies of Chinese bronze artifacts, we performed a “control manufacturing experiment”, which called for creating identical casting samples using several manufacturing processes and conditions. One reason contributing to the appearance and development of Shang-Zhou Bronze artifacts is the existence of high quality mold soil in China. We conducted a control casting experiment, aimed at comparing the function of linear traces found at the bottom of bronze vessels, using a single layer structure mold with high temperature firing. The mold used differed from the mold used in traditional Japanese casting. And we carried out “experiments by Lost lead casting” and “A comparative research of casting samples of openwork bronze decorations”.
We also researched scientific analyzes to clarify what features remain in the molds and products produced by this experiment.

Free Research Field

考古学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

鋳造実験をテーマにした本研究の成果は、考古学・文化財科学の分野のみならず、鋳造技術をはじめとした伝統工芸の分野にも一定の影響を及ぼすものと想定される。これまでの研究は伝統工芸の技術を文化財の復元研究に活用することに主眼が置かれてきたが、それのみならず、文化財側から伝統工芸へ過去の技術に関する情報発信をする社会的な意義もあると考える。このような分野とのコラボレーションは、現代の私たちの生活を支える「日本のものづくり」を再考するうえで重要な情報提供を社会に発信する役割もある。