The Production and Distribution of Blue-painted Pottery in New Kingdom Egypt

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K13567
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Archaeology
• Research Institution: Higashi Nippon International University
• Principal Investigator: Takahashi Kazumitsu 東日本国際大学, エジプト考古学研究所, 客員教授 (30506332)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 青色彩文土器 / 古代エジプト / 新王国時代 / 生産 / 流通 / 理化学的分析

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aims to examine the blue-painted pottery in New Kingdom Egypt, and to discuss diachronic changes in production and distribution. The study shows, until Amarna period, the ‘high-quality’ blue-painted pottery were manufactured particularly in a few royal workshops and then distributed to only royal residential cities. While, in subsequent periods, the production centers became widespread across Egypt. The ‘low-quality’ blue-painted pottery were manufactured in local workshops, and distributed within each region. Such transition from production and distribution within royal residential centers to local centers brought the development of local authority and therefore, it is assumed that the political and economic power had been shifted from royal to provincial cities. This change seems to be one of the impacts from Amarna revolution which is well known as a significant epoch of history, society, religion and art in New Kingdom Egypt.

Free Research Field

エジプト考古学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまで新王国時代の青色彩文土器の生産、流通については、遺跡ごとに個別に研究が行われており、そのため広域的な分布や時期による変化などがあまり認識されてこなかった。本研究では、エジプトの複数遺跡を対象とした土器調査を行い、一次資料の詳細な観察を行ったことで、広域的な変遷を明らかにすることができ、そこから背景となる新王国時代の政治経済の変化についても言及することができた。本研究において示した「政治経済の中心が中央から地方へ移行」するという点について、それが起こる際に、生産、流通にどのような現象が伴うのかを明らかにすることは、現代を生きる我々にとっても、参考になると考えられる。