Basic study on the burnt clay block occurred with the making pottery: Exploring the place where prehistoric pottery made

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K00966
• 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: Kashihara Archaeological Institute , Nara prefecture
• Principal Investigator: OKADA Ken-ichi 奈良県立橿原考古学研究所, 調査部調査課, 係長 (20372170)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 焼成粘土塊 / 土器製作 / 縄文土器 / 胎土分析 / 被熱履歴分析 / 火処遺構 / 粘土

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aims to investigate the pottery supply system of prehistoric societies. Burnt clay blocks have been identified as potentially associated with pottery production. By collecting and examining them, it will be possible to identify which morphological features are actually associated with pottery production.
This study involved the collection and classification of burnt clay blocks from the Jomon and Yayoi periods, as well as firing experiments. As a result, the characteristic forms of the burnt clay blocks corresponding to the various processes of pottery production were identified. It was also found that the heated clay remains at the Furu site, which were assumed to be a storage facility for pottery production materials, had a small possibility of being related to the pottery production process. It was also possible to establish the existence of a certain amount of fire facilities constructed by pasting flat clay with admixture material during the Jomon period.

Free Research Field

先史考古学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、一般的に認定しにくい土器製作関連遺跡を絞り込む手段として、焼成粘土塊の形態分類が有効であることを示した。また、従来あまり知られていない粘土を用いた火処施設が、縄文時代に一定程度あることを示し、焼成粘土塊とされているものの一部がその断片であることを明らかにした。以上のことから、本研究成果の意義は、焼成粘土塊のみでも、遺跡の性格を判断する上で有効な遺物となり得ることを示したことにあり、このことによって、より多くの遺跡から、先史時代の土器製作に関しての知見を得ることができるようになった。