Construction and application of a database on wood used for wooden cultural properties in East Asia

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K01124
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 03060:Cultural assets study-related
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Tazuru Suyako (水野寿弥子) 京都大学, 生存圏研究所, 講師 (30609920)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 木材解剖学 / 文化財 / 木材選択 / 学際研究

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In order to elucidate the views on the use of wood in East Asian wood carvings and tea rooms, the database has been constructed and interdisciplinary knowledge has been acquired by utilizing conventional tree species identification methods and the nondestructive tree species identification method (μCT) pioneered by the applicant. In particular, the international joint research conducted with European and U.S. museums on the sculpture of statues of deities from the 10th to 12th centuries has since grown into a major international interdisciplinary research project, which is still ongoing.
In 2022,I published a book containing the results of these research, which was reviewed in various newspapers and reprinted, thus returning the results of these research to society.

Free Research Field

文化財

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

人と木はどのように歩んできたのか。木への信仰は高度な文明社会においても日本文化の根底に流れており無視することができない重要な知見である。本研究では主に人々が木への思いを込めて制作したであろう木彫像や茶室に注目し、用材観の解明を行い、人と木とがたどってきた歴史を学際的に見つめる研究を進めた。中でも欧米の美術館と行った10－12世紀頃の日本の神像彫刻における国際的共同研究は、当時の用材観を紐解く上で重要な諸相を含んでいることが見えつつあり、現在大きな学際研究へと成長し、研究が飛躍している。またこれまでの研究成果を掲載した単著が各種新聞で書評が紹介されるなど、成果の社会への還元も行うことができた。