Historical Materials No.40

REPORT of The Building Materials Found at Yamada-dera Temple

NARA NATIONAL CULTURAL PROPERTIES RESEARCH INSTITUTE (NABUNKEN) 1995

CONTENTS

Chapter 1 Introduction                                 1

1. Excavation on Yamada-dera Temple                                1

2. Phrasing in this report                                          3

3. Publication of the report                                      5

Chapter 2 Investigation                                7

1. History of Yamada-dera Temple                                        7

2. Progress of excavations                         8

3. Result of excavations                             9

4. Process of observation and conservation treatment of the building materials                          12

Chapter 3 Explanation of the building materials 15

1. Pillars (hashira)                                      15

2. Sill beams (ji-fuku)                                15

3. Middle non-penetrating tie beams (nageshi)                    16

4. Struts (koshi-kabe-tsuka)                      17

5. Window studs (hentsuke)                      18

6. Window frames (mado-waku)                             19

7. Mullions (renji-ko)                                 21

8. Laths (komai)                                        21

9. 'Head' penetrating tie beams (kashira-nuki)                     22

10. Large bearing blocks (daito)                             24

11. Bracket arms (hijiki)                            24

12. Small bearing blocks (makito)                           26

13. 'Rainbow' beams (koryo)                     28

14. Purlins (keta)                                       29

15. Rafters (taruki)                                    29

16. Eaves suoports (kayaoi)                       30

17. Battens (noji-ita)                                 32

18 Blocks with socket of hinge pivot (waraza)                       32

Chapter 4 Discussion                                     33

1. Reconstruction of the eastern side corridor                       33

A. Plan                        33

B. Frame structure                                  34

C. Projecting bracket complex                34

D. Roof structure                                    35

E. Eaves                                                  35

F. Wall                                                     35

G. Painting                                              36

2 Historical repair work of the eastern side corridor                            38

A. Sill beam based stone                        38

B. 1st and 2nd spans of east line                         38

C. 6th span                                             38

D. 8th span of east line                           39

E. Others                                                 39

3. Character of the corridor of Yamada-dera temple                          40

A. A comparative study on the corridor of Yamada-dera temple and Horyu-ji temple                            40

B. A comparative study on technique and style of the corridor of Yamada-dera temple and surviving buildings built in Asuka and Nara period                41

C. Value of the corridor of Yamada-dera temple in the history of Japanese architecture                        47

4. Conclusion                                48