A Study of the Salt Production and Distribution System of the Yamato administration in the 5th Century from the Viewpoint of Salt-Making Pottery

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22K20066
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0103:History, archaeology, museology, and related fields
• Research Institution: Kashihara Archaeological Institute , Nara prefecture
• Principal Investigator: Iwasaki Ikumi 奈良県立橿原考古学研究所, 調査部調査課, 技師 (60964715)
• Project Period (FY): 2022-08-31 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 土器製塩 / 塩 / 製塩土器 / 古墳時代 / 日本考古学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The value of salt was high, and as was perfected under the Ritsuryo system, the influential people controlled the production and distribution of salt.The purpose of this study is to elucidate the production system, including the formation process of salt-making groups, and the distribution system, including the scope of salt supply, for the Kofun period, which is positioned in the state formation process.The research method is an archaeological examination of the salt making pottery used in the production and transport of salt, with the goal of empirical discussion.The results of the analysis show that 1) in terms of production, two groups with new technology were systematically organized in the Kitan-Kaikyo area in the latter half of the 5th century, leading to mass production, and 2) in terms of distribution, the distribution range of salt was analyzed, and in particular 1) the distribution area of salt from the Kitan-Kaikyo area was wide and extended to all of the Kinai region.

Free Research Field

日本考古学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

１）生産物である塩が残らないという障壁を抱える古代塩業研究において、これまで重視されてきたのは荷札木簡や税収などにかんする文献史料であった。そうしたなか、本研究が対象とするのは文献史料が出現していない古墳時代であり、生産・運搬用具である製塩土器を手掛りに、考古学的検討によって塩の生産と流通にアプローチした点に学術的意義が見いだせる。
２）塩は人類共通の基幹物資であり、本研究で明らかにした塩生産組織の編成過程や塩流通の実態は、中国やヨーロッパなどの同分野ですでに研究成果があがっている地域との比較研究の素地となりうる。