Japanese archipelago use letters from BC BC The excavated stone is "Suzuri" | NHK News

Japanese archipelago use letters from BC BC The excavated stone is "Suzuri" August 10 21:00

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The time when characters began to be used in the Japanese archipelago may go back significantly. Stones excavated from the remains of the Yayoi period and the Kofun period were found as a result of the investigation, and a series of cases judged to be “Suzuri” continued in northern Kyushu, and the experts who used the investigation used letters from around 100 BC. I pointed out that there was a possibility.

The survey is being conducted by several archaeological researchers in Fukuoka Prefecture, targeting stones excavated in the past from Yayoi and Kofun period ruins.

As a result of a thorough review of the stones that were judged to be “whetstones” for sharpening knives, about 130 points were judged to be “Suzuri” so far.

In addition to being similar in shape to the suzuri found in the ruins of China and the Korean peninsula of almost the same era, the way the stone is worn away is different from the whetstone, and some black deposits that seem to be ink are attached, etc. From that, it was judged as "Suzuri".

According to Yayoo Yanagida, a visiting professor at the Yayoi period, who was involved in the survey, stones that were judged to be "Suzuri" were distributed in various parts of western Japan, mainly in the northern part of Kyushu. It dates back to around 100 BC.

In the Japanese archipelago, characters began to be used in the middle of the middle of the Kofun period around the 5th century, and before that, materials showing the possibility of characters, such as ink written on earthenware, have been found. I don't understand well.

Mr. Yanagita said that there was a possibility that he wrote letters using tin in BC in the north of Kyushu, saying, “The Yayoi period was not a primitive period, but there was a high level of culture and civilization with letters.” Pointed out.

Why is it judged "Suzuri"?

The researchers referred to the plate-shaped “Suzuri” used in the Chinese Han era.

Among them, the restoration model of the tin found on the Korean peninsula is thought to be a flat stone placed on a luxurious lacquered base, and the granular ink was crushed with water on it.

Researchers think that there is such a shape of tin in northern Kyushu, etc., and have been reexamining the flat and slender stones that are marked as “whetstone” in the excavation report. It was.

In addition to the shape, detailed observations and actual measurements are performed, and unlike the grinding stone, only the central part of the surface is recessed, and things like ink that seems to hang down from the surface are attached to the side. It means that we have found a feature that can be judged as a tin.

Use of certain characters is 5th century

In the Japanese archipelago, since the Asuka period, bureaucracy and laws have been developed, and the spread of letters has progressed due to the fact that documents are indispensable for administration.

Documents showing that the letters were used reliably date back to the earlier Kofun period.

For example, in the middle of the Kofun period found in the Inariyama burial mound in Saitama Prefecture, 115 letters were engraved on the iron sword that seems to be from the 5th century, and it can be seen that letters were used as sentences during this period.

It is thought that letters were used before diplomacy, etc., but it is difficult to determine whether the excavated material is letters.

There are ink books that can be read as "field" of 4th century pottery excavated in Mie Prefecture, and text materials that can be read as "large" engraved in 3rd century pottery that have been excavated in Nagano Prefecture. The current situation is that it is not clear what is written and what it was written for.

In addition, the national treasure gold stamp that was found on Shigajima in Fukuoka City is engraved with five letters “Kan Hanuo King”, which was given by Chinese “gohan” in 57 C.E. The idea is powerful.

Is it used for diplomacy and trade?

In the Japanese archipelago, if the tin has spread since the Yayoi period, and what was written, what was it used for?

One researcher, Takeo Kusumi of the Fukuoka City Buried Cultural Property Division, assumes that it was used for diplomacy and trade.

Mr. Kuju is paying attention to the “Nishishinmachi ruins” in Fukuoka City, which judged 6 stone fragments from the Kofun period as a suzu.

The ruins are visited by many visitors during the Kofun period, and are considered to be a base for trade between the Korean Peninsula and the Japanese archipelago.

In addition, many of the ruins from which stones that were judged to be tin were found faced the sea and rivers and were considered to have harbor functions. It is.

Mr. Kuzumi said, “It seems that people involved in the long-distance trade network used letters to write down and record trade records and the names and numbers of goods.”