On site analysis of origin of ancient glass coming to Japan from abroad

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26303006
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 海外学術
• Research Field: Analytical chemistry
• Research Institution: Tokyo University of Science
• Principal Investigator: NAKAI Izumi 東京理科大学, 理学部第一部応用化学科, 教授 (90155648)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 阿部 善也 東京理科大学, 理学部第一部応用化学科, 講師 (90635864)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: ガラスの歴史 / 和ガラスの起源 / 蛍光X線分析 / ガラスの組成 / オンサイト分析 / ガラス流通 / アジアの古代ガラス / 極東のガラス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Tremendous numbers of glass beads were excavated from Kofun in Yayoi and Kofun periods in Japan. They were all imported from somewhere in Eurasia.The purpose of the present study is to reveal the origin of the glass excavated from Kofun. For quantitative analysis of glass beads we used a portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer suitable for glass analysis developed by us. We brought the instrument to the museums in Japan and in abroad and measured the chemical compositions of the glass samples. Our analyses suggest that the glass of the same origin distribute over South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia and Central Asia, and to Japan. We have successfully revealed the transport of the beads from Kyushu to Honshu through Tohoku to Hokkaido. In the early modern times it was inferred from our glass analysis that there were glass trades between China and the Far East, suggesting the possibility that some of those glasses were transported to Hokkaido through the Ainu culture.

Free Research Field

Archaeological Chemistry