Basic Studies on the Terms of Japanese Archaeology and Ancient History

1987 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 61450055
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: 考古学(含先史学)
• Research Institution: Nara National Cultural Properties Research Institute
• Principal Investigator: YAMAMOTO Tadanao Nara National Cultural Properties Research Instute: Chief, 飛鳥藤原宮跡発掘調査部, 室長 (10000506)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): MATSUI. Akira Nara National Cultural Properties Research Institute: Resercher, 埋蔵文化財センター, 研究員 (20157225)
• Project Period (FY): 1986 – 1987
• Keywords: Archaeokogical Terms / Artifacts / Sites / Features / 編年

Research Abstract

The main purpose of this project is to compile terms of Japanese archaeology and ancient history and to translate them into some foreign languages. As the result of this work, inverstigators decided to publish Japanese-English dictionary of the terms. This book is a first draft and is published in the form of a working copy. And it is hope in near future to publish a finished version after recieving enough critisisms and suggestions. Previously, three kinds of dictionaries of Japanese archaeological terms have been published; these were all consulted in compiling our work and some definitions have been incorporated as is from predecessorts.
In choosing the terms for inclusion, we decided to concentrate on phenomena up to the Heian period (794-1192 AD), but a few terms from Medieval and Fuedal archaeology are also inluded. Also we have employed some technical terms from disciplines closely related to archaeology.
The process of compiling this dictionary went as follows: in the early phases, we divided up the terms into conceptual categories, first establishing the broad categories of Chronology, Natural Resources, Artifacts, Sites and Features, and Methods Terminology. Then we established internal categories within these broad divisions. However, at this point, we encountered problems because of overlap in topics and terminology, and we recognised that the boundaries between many areas were not clear. The final categorisation, it must be emphasised, is purely heuristic. In the second stage of work, we added the figures and descriptions of the categorie. The final stage consisted of creating indexes of enteries in alphabetical order, and the indexes ordered by charcter radical are now preparing for the future version. Romanisation follows Hepburn system.