TRENDS IN JAPANESE ARCHAEOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES ABROAD

Korean Peninsula
MISAKA Kazunori1
A Japanese translation of: The Korean Archaeological Society (ed.) Korean Archaeology
Lecture (Revised Edition), was published under the supervision of Junichi Takesue.
This book is important to Japanese archaeology, in order to learn recent study trends ofKorean archaeology and its achievements. In addition to Japanese and Korean exchanges,
this is expected to make a signiﬁcant contribution to relative consideration of historicalcharacteristics of the Japanese Islands.
As for the Neolithic, data is being accumulated from recent excavation research on
the initial and early phases, and reexamination of the transitional process from initial
to early Neolithic is being conducted based on pottery study. Also the existence ofexchanges between Japan and Korea during the Jomon period is becoming clear throughcomparison of pottery, stone tools, beads, and bone and antler implements between Japanand Korea, based on veriﬁcation from the history of archaeology. As for the Bronze Age,the transitions over time and changes in space of material culture are becoming clear
mainly from the incipient and early phases in the southern Korean Peninsula. Regarding
Japanese and Korean exchanges, study results of archaeology and anthropology are beingorganized, and discussion is progressing for exchanges at the beginning of the Yayoi
period and the process and mechanism of cultural changes.
For the early Iron Age, studies on iron tools are outstanding. Regional differences ofiron tools in the Korean Peninsula are being grasped; lineages from Liadong region, Yanand Wiman Choson before the Lelang Commandery are being discussed. Also, for datingof the Bronze Age and early Iron Age, examination is continuing on cross-dating ofbronze and iron tools based on northeast China, and AMS C-14 dating.
As for Three Kingdoms period, typological research results on gold and copper
implements and iron tools are being accumulated, such as TAKATA Kanta’s Kofun Jidai
no Niccho Kankei (Relationship between Japan and Korea in the Kofun Period). Study
is progressing on migrants from the Korean Peninsula during the Kofun period andthe acceptance process of their cultural elements, through comparison of pottery, metal
implements and dwelling remains.
1 ArchaeologicalHeritage Management Ofﬁce, Tokushima University, 2–50–1 Kuramoto, Tokushima
770–8503, Japan(misaka.kazunori@tokushima-u.ac.jp)
JAPANESE JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY 3 (2015): 67–68© Japanese Archaeological Association67

JAPANESE JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY 3 (2015): 67–68

Author JAPONICA
ARCHAEOLOGIA

As for the Goryeo and Choson periods, studies using archaeological methods areprogressing, mainly for ceramics, based on accumulation of excavation research andexcavated artifacts. Also, interdisciplinary study on ships that sunk during the Goryeo
period, which includes archaeology, document history, and natural science, is being
conducted in various Northeast Asian countries. As for early modern and modernperiods, research projects on ancient monuments in Korea commissioned by theGovernment-General of Choson is also progressing from the Japanese side with Hideo
Yoshii and others using research records and photographic data.
On the study of material culture such as pottery, stone tools, bronze tools, and irontools, there is an increase of analysis techniques other than form and designs study, suchas use-marks, manufacturing techniques, materials and so on. Discussion is deepening
on production/distribution and the acceptance process of foreign cultures. On botanicalarchaeology, study and analysis of botanical press marks on pottery is progressing using
impression replica method, and is making a clearer view of plant cultivation and its
inﬂux process from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age in the Korean Peninsula, as well as
the propagation of farming in Northeast Asia.

© Japanese Archaeological Association68