Historical Materials No.82
THE WOODEN TABLETS FROM THE ASUKA-FUJIWARA CAPITAL SITESⅡ
Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties
THE WOODEN TABLETS FROM THE ASUKA-FUJIWARA CAPITAL SITES II
English Summary
NARA, 2009
PUBLICATIONS ON HISTORICAL MATERIALS VOLUME 82, SUPPLEMENTUM
THE WOODEN TABLETS EXCAVATED FROM THE ASUKA- FUJIWARA CAPITAL SITES II
English Summary
1. Foreword
This report is the second volume of The Wooden Tablets Excavated from the Asuka-Fujiwara Capital sites. This volume contains wooden tablets from the Fujiwara capital site investigated by Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties. All items containing one or more legible characters were included. Recent studies of unearthed city roads reveal, that the plan of the Fujiwara capital spanned 10 wards (5.3km) from east to west by 10 wards (5.3km) from north to south. The city area on the south side of the Abe-no-Yamada-michi road overlaps with the ancient central district of the Asuka pal aces. This volume covers the materials from the area on the north side of the Abe-no-Yamada-michi road, and the rest will be reported in future publications.
2. Features yielding wooden tablets (Mokkan)
1) Sakyo-Shichijo-Ichibo ward (7th Street-1st Avenue, the eastern district) (sector 5AWH)
1 The 115th excavation in the Asuka-Fujiwara capital sites (April to October 2001)
The excavated area is situated in the center of the southwest block of the Sakyo-Shichijo-Ichibo ward. The area of ca. 3,000㎡ was opened. Some archaeological features were revealed such as nine wooden buildings with embedded pillars, five ditches, one pool, two pits, one hearth, and one palisade.
The archaeological features can be divided into four periods (Phases A, B, C, and D) and the Phases B and C were associated to the Fujiwara period (A. D. 694-710). In the Phase B (the early Fujiwara period), some small wooden buildings and the palisade were constructed. A ditch bending at a right angle was revealed in the northeast part of the excavated area. The ditch may have been a partition of the land. The ditch continued to exist in the Phase C with a slight modification. Talking into account the data of archaeological excavation by the Kashihara City board of education in 1994 (described later), it is probable that there was an inner ward whose size was equivalent to one block in the middle of the four blocks of the Sakyo-Shichijo-Ichibo ward. In the Phase C (the late Fujiwara period)1, the pool SX 501 that was situated in the middle of the excavated area was buried by a large quantity of wooden chips containing mokkan. Then a large east-west building was built on the north-south axis of the block.
There were four archaeological features yielding mokkan. There were 12,619 mokkan (including 11,896 shavings) recovered from the shallow pool SX 501 (measuring 23 m from east to west and 10 m from north to south). Most of them belonged to the period in A.D.701-702, and associated with the Emonfu (headquarter of the palace gate guards). There were 114 mokkan (including 70 shavings) recovered from the pit SK 503 that was located to the east of the east-west building in the Phase C. There was 1 mokkan recovered from east-west ditch SD 504 that was a part of the bending ditch. There were 123 mokkan (including 64 shavings) recovered from a swamp in the north and northeast parts of the excavated area, which was formed during the period between the Nara period and the Middle Ages; however, these mokkan belonged to the Fujiwara period and they may have been drifted from the pond SX 501.
2 Archaeological excavation by Kashihara City board of education in 1994 (from September 1994 to January 1995)
The excavated area spanned from the southeast to northwest blocks in the Sakyo-Shichijo-Ichibo ward. The area of 926 ㎡ was opened. Some archaeological features were revealed such as dirt fill containing pottery and Haniwa (ceramic, funerary sculpture) in the Kofun period, three wooden buildings and one pit in the Fujiwara period, four partition ditches, several short ditches, five wells, one pit, and three wooden buildings constructed on base stones that was associated with a moated settlement in the later Kamakura period. The features of the Fujiwara period can be divided into two phases. It should be noted that no features associated with the alleys of Rokujyo (6th Street) and Higashi-Ichibo (the eastern 1st Avenue) were found but some features of buildings, partitions, and a pit. This implies that all part of the four blocks comprising of the Sakyo-Shichijo-Ichibo ward was used as one compartment.
There were 24 mokkan recovered from oval pit SK 01. The pit measured 5.5 m in length and 2.0 m in width with a depth of 0.6 m, and yielded a large amount of wooden chips that may have been used as toilet paper. This implies that the pit was used for a toilet or fecal pool. The contents of the mokkan have a similarity to the counterparts from the 115th excavation.
Taking into account the result of the 115th excavation, we consider that there was a single large compartment occupying four blocks (265m by 265m) in the Sakyo-Shichi o-Ichibo ward, which was adjacent to the south of the Fujiwara palace, and t his compartment was used by the Emonfu (headquarter of the palace gate guards). There were 200 captains and many guards in the Emonfu. This land was large enough to station guards and accessible to gates of the imperial palace at anytime of the day and night.
2) The northwest block of the Ukyo-Shichijyo-Ichibo ward (7th Street-1st Avenue, the western district) (sector 6AJH)
1 The 62nd excavation in the Asuka-Fujiwara capital sites (July to October 1989)
The excavated area was in the northeast part of the northwest block of the Ukyo-Shichijyo-Ichibo ward. The area of ca. 2,500 ㎡ was opened. Some archaeological features were revealed such as three ditches and five pit dwellings in the Kofun period, eight wooden buildings with embedded pillars, ten walls, three ditches, two wells, and fifteen pits constructed preceding and during the Fujiwara period, some north-south and east-west short ditches in the 14th century, and a closed ditch and a well after the Edo period. Archaeological features that were preceding and during the Fujiwara period can be divided into four groups according to the difference of plans in azimuth. There were 24 shavings recovered from well SE 6500 in the group D.
2 The 63-12th excavation in the Asuka- Fujiwara capital sites (December 1990 to February 1991)
The excavated area was adjacent to the west of the researched area in the 62nd excavation. The area of ca. 580 ㎡ was opened. Some archaeological features were revealed such as three wooden buildings with embedded pillars, three wooden walls, eleven pits, and three ditches. There was north-south building SB 7060 in the center of the excavated area, and about 1.2 m north of the building there were three pits SK 7071, SK 7072, SK 7073 existing on east-west line with 2.4 m intervals. There were 414 mokkan (including 403 shavings) recovered from SK 7071, 40 mokkan (including 36 shavings) from SK 7072, and 272 mokkan (including 268 shavings) from SK 7073. There was 1 mokkan recovered from a pit (possibly posthole) to the east of the building SB 7060.
3 The 66-12th excavation in the Asuka- Fujiwara capital sites (January to February 1992)
The excavated area was adjacent to the north of the researched area in the 63-12th excavation. The area of ca. 350 ㎡ was opened. Some archaeological features were revealed such as one wooden building with embedded pillars, two north-south ditches, and a pit possibly used for toilet or fecal pool. There were 33 mokkan (including 15 shavings) recovered from the pit SX 7420, and 10 mokkan (including 1 shaving) recovered from north-south ditch SD 7080. The feature of SX 7420 was an oval pit measuring 1.6 in length and 0.5m in width, yielding mokkan, wooden tablets possibly used for toilet paper, seeds of plants such as cucurbitaceous plant, remains of insects such as maggot, fish bones, and eggs of parasitic worms. We consider that the feature was used for a toilet or fecal pool.
The contents of some mokkan from the Ukyo-Shichijo-Ichibo ward were associated with the Ukyo-Shiki (western imperial capital service). This suggests that this area was occupied by the Ukyo-Shiki.
3) Other sites in the Fujiwara capital (except temple sites)
1 The northwest block of the Sakyo-Nijo-Nibo ward (2nd Street-2nd Avenue, the eastern district) (sectors 5AJP and 5AJN)
The 109th excavation in the Asuka- Fujiwara capital sites (August to October 2000)
The excavated area was situated at the northwest part of the northwest block of the Sakyo-Nijo-Nibo ward and the Higashi-Ichibo Avenue (the eastern 1st avenue). The area of ca. 2,600 ㎡ was opened. Some archaeological features were revealed such as twenty-eight wooden buildings with embedded pillars, twenty-one wooden walls, one road, five ditches, three wells, fifty pits, and a large numbers of small pits. These features belonged to several ages; before the Kofun period, around the Fujiwara period, and after the Middle Ages. The features period, around the Fujiwara period, and after the Middle Ages. The features around the Fujiwara period can be divided into four phases. During this period, only some small buildings were scattered in this area. Some artifacts obtained from the excavated and surrounding areas suggests that there were workshops for metallurgy and lacquer craft. There were 3 shavings recovered from well SE 9149 in the phase 1 of the Fujiwara period, and 1 mokkan from well SE 9147 in the phases 2 and 3 of the Fujiwara period.
2 The northwest block of the Sakyo-Gojyo-Sanbo ward (5th Street-3rd Avenue, the eastern district) (sector 5AJB)
The 21-2nd excavation in the Asuka- Fujiwara capital sites (February 1977 to January 1978)
The excavated area was situated about 20m west to the expected location of the alley of the eastern Sanbo (3rd Avenue) ward. The trench spanned from the Sanjo (3rd Street) to Shichijo (7th Street) wards in the eastern district and measured ca. 590m in length. Some archaeological features were revealed such as eight side ditches of roads, four east-west ditches, and six postholes. There was only 1 mokkan recovered from an east-west ditch; however, the characters were illegible. This east-west, ditch measured ca. 8.3m in width with a depth of ca. 1.2 m. The north edge of the ditch was situated about 9.4m south to the axis of the expected Shijo-Ohji (4th Street); however, it is unlikely that the ditch was the southern side ditch of the Shijo-Ohji, since the axis of the ditch was situated south to the expected position and its width was too large.
3 The northwest block of the Sakyo-Rokujyo-Sanbo ward (6th Street-3rd Avenue, the eastern district) (sector 6AJC)
The 54-1st excavation in the Asuka-Fujiwara capital sites (April 1987)
The excavated area was situated in the southeast part of the northwest block of the Sakyo-Rokujyo-Sanbo ward. The area of. 38 ㎡ was opened. East-west ditch SD 4130 was revealed. There was 1 mokkan recovered from the ditch.
4 The northeast block of the Sakyo-Rokujyo-Sanbo ward (6th Street-3rd Avenue, the eastern district) (sectors 8AJC and 6AJD)
The 47th and 50th (west) excavations in the Asuka-Fujiwara capital sites (November 1985 to December 1986)
The excavated area was situated in the center and the southwest part of the northeast block of the Sakyo-Rokujyo-Sanbo ward. The area of ca. 4,000 ㎡ was opened. Some archaeological features were revealed, and belonged to the seventh century, the phases A and B in the Fujiwara period, and the Nara period. Taking account of the previous researches around this area, we consider that each block of the Sakyo-Rokujyo-Sanbo ward was occupied by a compartment in the phase A, and the all four blocks of the ward were occupied by single large compartment in the phase B. There may have been a government office or a residence for an aristocrat or royal family in the phase B, since several large buildings were constructed in arrangement in this area. There were neither large buildings nor compartment in the Nara period; however, many archaeological features in the period such as buildings were revealed, so we consider that this area still remained to be used as an important place in the later period.
There was 1 mokkan recovered from the bottom of well SE 4740 in the Nara period, and 27 mokkan (including 5 shavings) recovered from east-west ditch SD 4130, which was same one as that was excavated at the northwest block in 1987. This ditch was dug in the Fujiwara period and continued to exist by the Heian period. There were a few artifacts of the Fujiwara period but many artifacts of the Nara and Heian periods, including the mokkan with an inscription of the date of Reiki 3 (A.D. 717), recovered from the ditch. There were several ceramic vessels with an inscription of “Kaguyama” recovered from these two features. This suggests that this area was occupied by an office called “Kaguyama-Shoso” that appears in the document of “Yamato-no-Kuni Shozei-Cho” written in A.D. 730.
5 The northwest block of the Sakyo-Shichijo-Nibo ward (7th Street-2nd Avenue, the eastern district) (sector 5AJD)
The 113th excavation in the Asuka-Fujiwara capital sites (January to April 2001)
The excavated area was situated at the intersection of the Rokujyo-Ohji (6th Street) and the alley of the Higashi-Nibo (the eastern 2nd Avenue) and in the northwest block of the Sakyo-Shichijo-Nibo ward. The area of ca. 2,080 ㎡ was opened. Some archaeological features were revealed such as two ditches in the Kofun period, the roads of the Rokujyo-Ohji (SF 2910) and the alley of the Higashi-Nibo (SF 6030), one wooden building with embedded pillars, one wooden wall, one well, and one east-west ditch in the Fujiwara period, and five well, several pits and ditches in the Kamakura period. There was 1 mokkan recovered from well SE 9328 in the Kamakura period; however, the characters were illegible.
6 The Sakyo-Jyuichijyo-Sanbo ward (11th Street-3rd Avenue, the eastern district) (sect ors 5AMH and 6AMH)
The 1st excavation in the northern Ikazuchi-no-oka site (April to August 1991)
The 2nd excavation in the northern Ikazuchi-no-oka site (December 1991 to April 1992)
The 4th excavation in the northern Ikazuchi-no-oka site (January to April 1994)
The 5th excavation in the northern Ikazuchi-no-oka site (January to April 1995)
The Sakyo-Jyuichijyo-Sanbo ward in the Fujiwara capital city was researched as a part of the northern Ikazuchi-no-oka site. The southeast and southwest blocks were occupied by one compartment. There was a large wood building with 5 bays long in the east-west direction and 4 bays long in the north-south direction in the center of the compartment. There were also a pair of long north-south buildings on the both east and west sides of the central building (one of the building measured 17 by 4 bays) and a long east-west building measuring 17 by 3 bays to the south of the central building. These buildings were enclosed by wooden walls and ditches. The archaeological features can be divided into two phases (the phases A and B). These buildings were constructed in the late 7th century and continued to exist by the early 8th century with some minor modification. In the southeast block, some archaeological features were revealed such as buildings, walls, ditches, and pits during the 7th and 8th centuries.
There were 4 shavings of mokkan recovered from pit SK 2676 that was situated to the south of the central building, 12 mokkan recovered from the southern partition east-west ditch SD 2704B, 2 mokkan recovered from the western partition north-south ditch SD 2750, 1 shaving recovered from a posthole of the southwestern building SB 2670, 10 mokkan recovered from pit SK 3245 that was situated to the southeast of the eastern pair of the north-south buildings, and 3 shavings recovered from north-south ditch SD 3580 dug in the early 7th century that was situated in the western margin of the southeast block.
7 The Sakyo-Jyunijyo-Yonbo ward (12th Street-4th Avenue, the eastern district)
The 3rd excavation in the Yamada-michi site (October to November 1990)
The area was situated around the expected Abe-no-Yamada-michi road and in the southeast and southwest blocks of the Sakyo-Jyunijyo-Yonbo ward in the Fujiwara capital city. The area of ca. 820 ㎡ was opened. Some archaeological features were revealed such as a substantial dirt fill used in preparing the site with a closed ditch made by boulders in the early 7th century, one building in the late 7th century of which the plan was slightly off-azimuth to the west, four ditches and stone pavement in the end of 7th century and the early 8th century. There was 1 mokkan recovered from the south side ditch of the Abe-no-Yamada-michi road (SD 2540), 1 mokkan recovered from north-south ditch SD 2625 that was connecting to the SD 2540, 1 mokkan recovered from north-south ditch SD 2623, and 1 mokkan recovered from a deposition of the Nara period.
8 The southwest block of the Sakyo-Jyunijyo-Rokubo ward (12th Street-6th Avenue, the eastern district) (sector 5AMD)
The 8th excavation in the Yamada-michi site (December 1999 to February 2000)
The excavated area was situated around the expected Abe-no-Yamada-michi road and in the southwest block of the Sakyo-Jyunijyo-Rokubo in the Fujiwara capital city. The area of ca. 363 ㎡ was opened. In the west part of the area, some archaeological features were revealed such as four north-south ditches, one east-west ditch, two oblique ditches, and several postholes. There was 1 mokkan recovered from north-south ditch SD 3880 of the early 7th century.
9 The southwest Mock of the Ukyo-Ichijo-Ichibo ward (1st Street-1st Avenue, the western district) (sector 6AJP)
The 65th excavation in the Asuka-Fujiwara capital sites (February to March 1991)
Two trenches were opened in this area. The eastern trench was situated, in the position of the alley of the Ichijo (1st Street) ward and the western trench was situated in the center of the northern part of the southwest block of the Ukyo-Ichijo-Ichibo. The area of ca. 1,110 ㎡ was opened in total. Some archaeological features were revealed such as the alley of the Ichijyo, two building and one pit preceding the Fujiwara period, four buildings, one wall, three wells, and five pits in the Fujiwara period, one pit and some ditches in the Middle Ages. Some artifacts obtained around the area suggest that there was a bronze workshop. There was 1 mokkan recovered from well SB 7237 of the Fujiwara period.
10 The northwest and southwest blocks of the Ukyo-Nijyo-Nibo ward (2nd Street-2nd Avenue, the western district) (sector 6AJQ)
The 66-5th excavation in the Asuka-Fujiwara capital sites (June to July 1991)
The excavated area was situated in the northwest and southwest blocks of the Ukyo-Nijyo-Nibo ward. The area of 204 ㎡ was opened. Some archaeological features were revealed such as one east-west ditch, one well, one wooden building with embedded pillars, and two pits. There was 1 mokkan recovered from well SE 7301 of the early 12th century.
11 The southeast block of the Ukyo-Nijyo-Kubo ward (2nd Street-9th Avenue, the western district) (sector 5AQD)
The research of the Imai moated settlement
The excavated area was situated in the southwest corner of the Imai moated settlement established in the Edo period, and in the southeast block of the Ukyo-Nijyo-Kubo in the Fujiwara capital city. The area of 58 ㎡ was opened. Some archaeological features associated with the moated settlement were revealed such as inner and outer moats and earthworks. There were 2 mokkan of the Edo period recovered from, the outer moat.
12 The southwest block of the Ukyo-Shichijyo-Ichibo ward (7th Street-1st Avenue, the western district) (sector 5AWH)
The 75-15th excavation in the Asuka-Fujiwara capital sites (December 1994 to February 1995)
The southwest block of the Ukyo-Shichijyo-Ichibo ward was occupied by a single compartment for residence, and there were central, backward, and side buildings and a main gate in arrangement on the axis of the ward. The excavated area was situated in the western part of the residence. The area of ca. 300 ㎡ was opened. Some archaeological features were revealed such as one ditch in the Yayoi period, one ditch in the Kofun period, and one ditch and one pool in the Fujiwara period. There was 1 mokkan recovered from the east-west ditch SD 384 of the Fujiwara period.
13 The southwest block of the Ukyo-Shichijyo-Yonbo ward (7th Street-4th Avenue, the western district) (sector 6AWJ)
The 58-5th excavation in the Asuka-Fujiwara capital sites (June to July 1988)
The excavated area was situated in the southwest corner of the southwest block of the Ukyo-Shichijyo-Yonbo ward. The area of ca. 350 ㎡ was opened. Some archaeological features were revealed such as one ditch of the Kofun period, two ditches that were associated with the eastern side ditch of the Shimotsu-michi road and a dammed pool of the ditch. The features of the eastern side ditch can be divided into two phases (the phases A and B), and the ditch of the phase A yielded pottery of the later 7th century and that of the phase B, yielded pottery of the 10th century. There were 4 mokkan recovered from the eastern side ditch SD 190A; however, the characters were illegible.
4) Temple sites in the Fujiwara capital
1 The Wada-Haiji temple site (sector 5BWD)
The 1st excavation (July to October 1974)
The excavated area was situated to the south of the mound called “Ohnozuka” that was expected to be the remains of the Wada-Haiji temple. The area was situated in the southeast block of the Ukyo-Jyuichijo-Ichibo ward (11th Street-1st Avenue, the western district) in the Fujiwara capital city. The area of ca. 3,300 ㎡ was opened. Some archaeological features were revealed such as remain of a river channel, one ditch in the Kofun period, six wooden building with embedded pillars, five walls, one ditch, one well, one closed ditch, and one stone pavement in the 7th century, and two wooden buildings with embedded pillars and one ditch in the Kamakura period. There were 2 mokkan recovered from the river channel SX 100 that was existed from the Yayoi to Kamakura periods; however, the characters were illegible.
The 3rd excavation (October to November 1986)
The excavated area was situated 120m southeast to the “Ohnozuka” mound. Two trenches were excavated, and the area of ca. 245 ㎡ was opened in total. Remain of a river that dates back to before the 13th century was revealed in the entire part of the northern trench. Eleven standing stones of the Middle Ages were revealed in the southern trench. There were 2 mokkan recovered from the river channel that may be a series of the river channel SX 100 found in the previous excavation. It is probable that these mokkan belonged to the ancient period; however, the exact dates have not been ascertained yet.
2 The Moto-Yakushiji temple site (sector 5BMY)
The research of the southwest corner of the temple land (January to February 1976)
The Moto-Yakushiji temple was established by the Emperor Tenmu in A.D. 680, for the sake of his wish for a cure of the Empress Jito’s disease. The excavated area was situated in the southwest corner of the temple land. The area of ca. 450 ㎡ was opened. Some archaeological features were revealed such as the features of the Hachijyo-Ohji road (8th Street) and Nishi-Sanbo-Ohji road (the western 3rd Avenue). There were 3 mokkan recovered from the northern side ditch of the Hachijyo-Ohji road SD 104.
3 The Daikan-Daiji temple site (sector 6BTK)
The 3rd excavation (April 1976 to January 1977)
The Daikan-Daiji temple was established as a replacement of the Kudara-no-Ohtera temple established in A.D. 639 and the Takechi-no-Ohtera temple in A.D. 673. The excavated area was situated in the southeast corner of the temple land. The area of ca. 1,700 ㎡ was opened. Some archaeological features were revealed such as the eastern part of the southern corridor, the eastern corridor, three wooden buildings with embedded pillars, one wall, seven ditches, and four pits; however, any partition or boarder facilities for the eastern boundary of the temple land were not found. There were 9 mokkan (including 3 shavings) recovered from pit SK 245 that was situated 66m east to the eastern corridor. There was 1 mokkan used for a baggage tag of an iron load that was offered from the Sayo-Gun country, the Harima province in the beginning of the 8th century. This suggests that the temple was under construction at the time.
4 The Koyama-Haiji temple site (sector 5BKI)
The research of the southeast corner of the temple land (August to September 1987)
The Koyama-Haiji temple has been believed to be the remains of the Kidera temple according to the place-name; however, it has been uncorroborated yet. The excavated area was situated in the southeast corner of the temple land. The area of ca. 470 ㎡ was opened. Some archaeological features were revealed such as sixteen pits of various sizes. These pits were dug in preparation for constructing the temple, and buried with wastes after the construction. The artifacts obtained from the pits suggest that there was a workshop complex for bronze metallurgy, lacquer craft, and gilding. There were 10 mokkan (including 7 shavings) recovered from pit SK 01, 1 mokkan from pit SK 06, and 3 shavings from pit SK 11.
5 The Kibiike-Haiji temple site (sector 5ADL)
The 95th excavation in the Asuka-Fujiwara capital sites (January to April 1999)
The Kibiike-Haiji has been believed to be the remains of the Kudara-no-Ohtera temple that was established in A.D. 639. In order to uncover the middle gate and the enclosing corridor, three trenches (the southern, western, and southwestern) were opened. The area of 724 ㎡ was opened in total. However, no archaeological features of the middle gate were revealed around the expected position. In the western trench some archaeological features were revealed such as the western corridor and its side-ditches, three oblique closed ditches, and five dumping pits after the temple abandonment. There were also features in the later period such as two walls, two ditches, and one pit in the Fujiwara period and one well in the Edo period. In the western trench there was, 1 mokkan recovered from east-west ditch SD 226 of the Fujiwara period.
3. Mokkan associated with monbo regulation
The Sakyo-Shichijyo-Ichibo ward in the Fujiwara capital city where the Emonfu (headquarter of the palace gate guards) was occupied yielded substantial amount of mokkan in the dates of A.D. 701-702, especially from the pool SX 501 in the southwest block. Among these materials, there were many mokkan associated with a function of the Emonfu called “monbo” regulation.
The monbo regulation was a traffic regulation for goods applied at the gates of the palace. A pass called “monbo” issued by the Nakatsukasa-sho (Ministry of Imperial Affairs) must have been attached to any incoming loads consisting of more than ten ceremonial and/or practical arms and any outgoing loads consisting of more than one item (including ceremonial and practical arm). An out going load of an occasional gift from the emperor was exempted from the regulation.
The mokkan of the monbo regulation recovered from the Sakyo-Shichijyo-Ichibo ward can be divided into three groups; 1 monbo mokkan, 2 invoice of occasional imperial gift, and 3 transom mokkan.
1 Monbo mokkan includes eight contents; (A) name of office engaged in the traffic, (B) name of document format, (C) the term of monbo, (D) names and amount of items, (E) name of passing gate, (F) name of transporter, (G) issued date of the document, and (H) name of the document writer. Monbo mokkan was originally a kind of application form for the Nakatsukasa-sho in order to carry out items from the palace. Following the submission of the application, the Nakatsukasa-sho put a signature on the monbo mokkan. Then the application form of monbo mokkan was turned into a pass itself.
2 Invoice of occasional imperial gift includes a name imperial family members or loyal aristocrats, and no description of a passing gate nor signature by the Nakatsukasa-sho. Carrying out of an occasional imperial gift was outside the jurisdiction of the Nakatsukasa-sho, so either permission by the Nakatsukasa-sho or an appointment with the passing gate was not necessary.
3 Transom mokkan was horizontally long wooden tablet with long grain; therefore, the written characters were bisected by the grain at right angle. In many cases the characters were illegible and it is hard to fully understand the contents; however, the contents includes a dates, a name of office, names and amounts of items, a name of gate, a name of person, and so on. Transom mokkan has some contents in common with monbo mokkan and invoice of occasional imperial gift.
We considered that these mokkan were used in the following manner.
In the first stage, monbo mokkan and invoice of occasional imperial gift were used as a pass for an imperial gate by an office engaged in carrying out of items. An officer at the passing gate cross-checked the contents of the document and items, and permitted the clearance when properly done. These mokkan were collected by the gate officer at the time.
In the second stage, the collected mokkan were bundled and compiled as clearance records of the gate. The gate officer boiled the contents of the collected mokkan down to a transom mokkan. Then the officer sent both the bundled and transom mokkan to the Emonfu to report the state of clearance.
In the third stage, an officer of the Emonfu confirmed the stage of clearance at each gate according to transom mokkan. To check the contents of the transom mokkan, the officer timely compared them with the original record of the bundled mokkan and marked the transom mokkan. Then the Emonfu compiled the checked transom mokkan from each gate, to make a book of records of clearance at all gates of the palace. It is possible that the book of records were written on papers, since there has been no example of mokkan for this purpose.
In the final stage, after the checking and making the book of records at the Emonfu, the mokkan associated with monbo regulation were discarded.
Meanwhile, there were some monbo mokkan and invoices of occasional imperial gift recovered from the areas around some gates of the Fujiwara and Nara imperial palace. These mokkan may have been undergone a different process from that we assumed about the materials of the Sakyo-Shichijyo-Ichibo ward.
Regarding these monbo mokkan, there are several differences from the mokkan from the Sakyo-Shichijyo-Ichibo ward in the Fujiwara capital site (the Emonfu) in the contents; (a) the office engaged in the traffic directly submitted the document to the gate office, (b) there was no signature by the Nakatsukasa-sho, and (c) they were discarded around the palace gates. We consider that these mokkan belonged to the period at the earliest after A.D 702, taking account of their contents and associated mokkan in a same archaeological context. The Taiho penal and administrative code was promulgated in A.D 701, and after the promulgation, the Nakatsukasa-sho was engaged in the issue of monbo in the regulation at least for a while. After a period of time, however, the Nakatsukasa-sho took no part in the process, and an officer engaged in traffic directly submitted the document to a gate office. Collected monbo mokkan undergone gate clearance were no longer sent to the Emonfu but discarded on the spot. The change was due to a simplification of the process.
In the case of the invoices of occasional imperial gift recovered around the palace gates, they were not sent to the Emonfu and discarded there, unlike the counterparts of the Sakyo-Shichijyo-Ichibo ward. We also considered that these materials belonged to the later period, and it was also a simplification of the process.
It is likely that transom mokkan continued to be sent to the Emonfu in the later period, and it was enough for the Emonfu to confirm the state of clearance at the all gates. Therefore, they saved the trouble to confirm the documents comparing the original records of the monbo mokkan and the gift invoices.
1 It has been cleared that the city plan of the Fujiwara capital was 10 by 10 wards
(16 blocks comprises 1 ward); however, it had been considered before that that was 12 by 8 wards (4 blocks comprise 1 ward) according to the theory by Kishi. To avoid confusion, however, we use the terms of wards, streets, and avenues by the Kishi’s theory for descriptive purposes only in this volume.
CONTENTS
General Text
Chapter I Introduction
Chapter II Archaeological features yielding mokkan
1) Sakyo-Shichijo-Ichibo ward (7th Street-1st Avenue, the eastern district)
1 The 115th excavation in the Asuka-Fujiwara capital sites
2 Archaeological excavation by Kashihara City board of education in 1994
2) The northwest block of the Ukyo-Shichijyo-Ichibo ward (7th Street-1st Avenue, the western district)
1 The 62nd excavation in the Asuka-Fujiwara capital sites
2 The 63-12th excavation in the Asuka-Fujiwara capital sites
3 The 66-12th excavation in the Asuka-Fujiwara capital sites
3) Other sites in the Fujiwara capital (except temple sites)
1 The northwest block of the Sakyo-Nijo-Nibo ward (2nd Street-2nd Avenue, the eastern district)
2 The northwest block of the Sakyo-Gojyo-Sanbo ward (5th Street-3rd Avenue, the eastern district)
3 The northwest block of the Sakyo-Rokujyo-Sanbo ward (6th Street-3rd Avenue, the eastern district)
4 The northeast block of the Sakyo-Rokujyo-Sanbo ward (6th Street-3rd Avenue, the eastern district)
5 The northwest block of the Sakyo-Shichijo-Nibo ward (7th Street-2nd Avenue, the eastern district)
6 The Sakyo-Jyuichijyo-Sanbo ward (11th Street-3rd Avenue, the eastern district)
7 The Sakyo-Jyunijyo-Yonbo ward (12th Street-4th Avenue, the eastern district)
8 The southwest block of the Sakyo-Jyunijyo-Rokubo ward (12th Street-6th Avenue, the eastern district)
9 The southwest block of the Ukyo-Ichijo-Ichibo ward (1st Street-1st Avenue, the western district)
10 The northwest and southwest blocks of the Ukyo-Nijyo-Nibo ward (2nd Street-2nd Avenue, the western district)
11 The southeast block of the Ukyo-Nijyo-Kubo ward (2nd Street-9th Avenue, the western district)
12 The southwest block of the Ukyo-Shichijyo-Ichibo ward (7th Street-1st Avenue, the western district)
13 The southwest block of the Ukyo-Shichijyo-Yonbo ward (7th Street-4th Avenue, the western district)
4 ) Temple sites in the Fujiwara capital
1 The Wada-Haiji temple site (sect or 5BWD)
2 The Moto-Yakushiji temple site (sector 5BMY)
3 The Daikan-Daiji temple site (sector 6BTK)
4 The Koyama-Haiji temple site (sector 5BKI)
5 The Kibiike-Haiji temple site (sector 5ADL)
Chapter III Mokkan associated with monbo regulation
Transcriptions
1) Sakyo-Shichijo-Ichibo ward (7th Street-1st Avenue, the eastern district)
2) The northwest block of the Ukyo-Shichijyo-Ichibo ward (7th Street-1st Avenue, the western district)
3) Other sites in the Fujiwara capital (except temple sites)
4) Temple sites in the Fujiwara capital
Table of correspondences for mokkan nos. and plates, with nos. in former reports
Index
English table of contents
English summary
Illustrations
1 Mokkan recovery locations at the Fujiwara capital city site
2 Mokkan recovery locations at the Fujiwara imperial palace site
3 Changes in features at the Sakyo-Shichijo-Ichibo ward site in the 115th excavation
4 Feature of building SB 500
5 Numbers of mokkan per sub-precinct of pool SX 501
6 Unearthed mokkan at pit SK 503
7 Target-shaped wooden implement
8 Locations of trenches at the Sakyo-Shichijo-Ichibo ward site
9 Features of the Sakyo-Shichijo-Ichibo ward site in the 1994 excavation
10 Features of the northern part of the northwest block of the Ukyo-Shichijyo-Ichibo ward site
11 Features of the 62nd excavation in the Asuka-Fujiwara capital sites
12 Features of the 63-12th excavation in the Asuka-Fujiwara capital sites
13 Feature of the toilet or fecal pool
14 Drawings of the wooden tablets used at toilet
15 Picture of the wooden tablets used at toilet
16 Feature of the toilet or fecal pool (uncovered)
17 Feature of the toilet or fecal pool (excavated)
18 Changes in features at the site of the Sakyo-Nijo-Nibo ward in the 109th excavation
19 Locations of trenches at the Sakyo-Rokujyo-Sanbo ward site
20 Changes in features of the Sakyo-Rokujyo-Sanbo ward site
21 Pottery with the inscription of “Kaguyama”
22 Plan and cross-section of well SE 4740
23 Ditch SD 4130 in cross-section
24 Pottery with the inscription of “Otori-Kori”
25 Roof-tile with the inscription of “Kanchi”
26 The northern Ikazuchi-no-oka site
27 Mokkan recovery locations around the Yamada-michi site
28 Features of the Yamada-michi site in the 3rd excavation
29 Features of the Yamada-michi site in the 8th excavation
30 Features of the 65th excavation in the Asuka-Fujiwara capital sites
31 Features of the 66-5th excavation in the Asuka-Fujiwara capital sites
32 Locations of trenches at the Ukyo-Shichijyo-Ichibo ward site
33 Features of the 75-15th excavation in the Asuka-Fujiwara capital sites
34 Changes in features at the Ukyo- Shichijyo-Yonbo ward site in the 58-5th excavation
35 Locations of trenches at the Wada-Haiji temple site
36 Features of the Wada-Haiji temple site in the 1st excavation
37 Locations of trenches at the Moto-Yakushiji temple site
38 Features at the southwest: corner of the trench
39 Sword-shaped wooden implement
40 Locations of trenches at the Daikan-Daiji temple site
41 Features of the Daikan-Daiji temple site in the 3rd excavation
42 Locations of trenches at the Koyama-Haiji temple site
43 Features at the southeast corner of the trench
44 Locations of trenches at the Kibiike-Haiji temple site
45 Features of the 95th excavation in the Asuka-Fujiwara capital sites
46 Mokkan associated with the monbo regulation recovered from the Fujiwara imperial palace site
47 Flowchart of mokkan in the monbo regulation
Tables
1 Features and sites yielding mokkan in the Asuka-Fujiwara capital sites
2 Mokkan with inscriptions of the gate names
3 List of words inscribed on the transom mokkan
二〇〇九年三月二三日 発行
飛鳥藤原京木簡二 －藤原京木簡一－解説
奈良文化財研究所史料 第八二冊 別冊
