Is the plant ash glass found in East Asia from West Asia? -Basic research for elucidation of glass trade route-

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K01116
• 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: Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties
• Principal Investigator: TAMURA Tomomi 独立行政法人国立文化財機構奈良文化財研究所, 都城発掘調査部, 主任研究員 (10570129)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: ガラス / 植物灰 / Sr同位体比 / 中央アジア / 西アジア

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research attempts to clarify the origin of plant-ash glass excavated in Japan using analytical methods. Among the plant-ash glasses excavated in Japan, those estimated to be from West Asia based on their chemical composition have Sr isotope ratios similar to those of plant-ash glasses excavated in West Asia and the raw material plants, indicating the possibility that they came from West Asia. On the other hand, the Sr isotope ratios of other items were different from those excavated from West Asia. In particular, the compositional characteristics of the sandwich beads, which have a high Sr isotope ratio and a high content of Al2O3, suggest that they may have been produced in the India-Pakistan region.

Free Research Field

文化財科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の学術的意義は、化学組成とSr同位体比分析を組み合わせることによって日本列島出土の植物灰ガラスの産地が従来想定されていた西アジアだけでなく、インド・パキスタン方面を含む中央アジア地域にも求められる可能性が高いことを示した点にある。日本列島出土品のみならず、実際にウズベキスタンなど中央アジア地域で出土したガラスの分析を実施し、日本出土品と比較検討することにより、中央アジア産である可能性を実証的に示すことができたことは、今後のガラス研究の発展につながる重要な成果であると言える。