Natural environment during the ancient Japanese era: From the viewpoint of Holocene environmental changes in and around the 'Heijyokyo' of the Japanese ancient capital and the Nara basin.

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23300338
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Geography
• Research Institution: Nara Women's University
• Principal Investigator: TAKADA Masashi 奈良女子大学, 人文科学系, 教授 (60273827)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): IDETA Kazuhisa 奈良女子大学, 自然科学系, 教授 (40128335) ; MIYAJI Atsuko 奈良女子大学, 人文科学系, 准教授 (30403322) ; HORI Kazuaki 名古屋大学, 大学院環境学研究科, 准教授 (70373074) ; MITSUISHI Narumi 奈良県立橿原考古学研究所, 埋蔵文化財部, 主任研究員 (70263548) ; HIDEHIRO Sohma 奈良女子大学, 人文科学系, 教授 (90196999)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): MITSUISHI Narumi 奈良県立橿原考古学研究所, 埋蔵文化財部, 主任研究員 (70263548)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 古代日本 / 自然環境基盤 / 平城京 / 奈良盆地 / 完新世 / 沖積層 / 堆積イベント

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study we surveyed late Pleistocene and Holocene sediments and archeological information in and around the Nara basin to clarify paeoenvironment just before, during and immediately after the ancient Japanese era. Our results suggest that rapid sedimentation occurred at the alluvial plains in the basin during the early Holocene and after the Yayoi and Kofun period. In particular the latter phenomenon seems to have been affectd by anthropogenic activities, such as artificial deforestation and/or land use, as well as climatic changes. More data in terms of time and space resolution are needed to reconstruct the ancient natural environment in detail.

Free Research Field

自然地理学