The Archaeological Study on Spinning and Weaving in Asian Coastal Areas from the Perspective of Morphology, Technology, and the Division of Labor

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26704009
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Archaeology
• Research Institution: University of Fukui
• Principal Investigator: Higashimura Junko 福井大学, 学術研究院教育・人文社会系部門(総合グローバル), 准教授 (10465601)
• Project Period (FY): 2015 – 2022
• Keywords: 紡織 / 織物 / 腰機 / 女性 / 古墳時代 / 律令時代

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to conduct morphological analysis and technological reconstruction of textiles and spinning and weaving tools excavated from archaeological sites, to clarify the production system and the circulation of textiles, and to discover the social and cultural characteristics in Ancient Japan.
First, I observed and analyzed the morphology of yarns and textile structures in order to examine the characteristics of spinning and weaving techniques of ramie, hemp, and silk. Then, I conducted weaving experiments based on archaeological and ethnographic materials in Japan and other Asian coastal areas and examined the type and usage of spinning and weaving tools and textile standards. In addition, I researched on Haniwa expressed women weaving cloth on back-strap looms, textile-related written materials, and spinning and weaving tools used in rituals comprehensively to clarify various aspects of ancient society surrounding textile production as women's labor.

Free Research Field

考古学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

古代日本では、麻や絹を素材とする織物が衣料としてのみならず、交換財としても流通し、製糸と製織の工程からなる「紡織」は、社会経済を支える基幹的な手工業であった。しかし、遺跡から出土する織物や紡織具は断片的で、その資料的制約のため、技術や生産体制についての議論が不十分であった。
本研究では、出土織物・紡織具の形態分析、アジア沿岸地域の考古資料、民俗・民族資料との比較による技術復元を行うことで、古墳時代後期から律令時代までの紡織技術の変化や生産体制の特徴、調庸物として納める織物の規格、公的な文献史料に表れにくい女性労働の実態について新たな知見を得ることができた。