Re-verification of bronze objects as knifes in Japan

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K01067
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 03050:Archaeology-related
• Research Institution: Ehime University
• Principal Investigator: YOSHIDA HIROSHI 愛媛大学, ミュージアム, 教授 (30263057)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 塚本 敏夫 公益財団法人元興寺文化財研究所, 研究部, センター長 (30241269) ; 宮里 修 高知大学, 教育研究部人文社会科学系人文社会科学部門, 准教授 (60339645)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 青銅器 / 刃物 / 研磨 / 転用 / ３Ｄデジタルレプリカ / 実験

Outline of Final Research Achievements

I clarified in this study that in Japan besides bronze bells and weapon-shaped objects, bronze tools made as a small knife or reproduced from a part of weapon-shaped bronze object had existed extensively for a long time. And, from comparison between experiments using 3D digital replicas and excavated materials, I clarified how weapon-shaped bronze objects were polished after casting, how weapon-shaped bronze objects were changed due to polishing as using or repair of broken tip, and how the polishing of weapon-shaped bronze objects was maintained or not, as weapon-shaped bronze objects were transformed into ritual tools.

Free Research Field

考古学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

祭器に特化して語られることの多い日本列島の青銅器文化に対し、刃物としての青銅器を明確に描き出した。祭器となった武器形青銅器も刃物としての研ぎの特徴をよく残し、その形骸化にこそ祭器化の進展を捉えることができる。長期にわたる石器時代から金属器時代への転換において、初めて手にした青銅という金属素材を日本列島の先人がどのように用いたか、刃物の主役にはならなかったものの、刃物としての役割を青銅器も一定担った具体的様相を明らかにし、日本列島における青銅器・青銅器文化の特色を重層的にとらえた。