Ancient ships of Japan
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Date
2006-10-30
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Publisher
Texas A&M University
Abstract
Ancient ships of Japan, which are little known outside of Japan, are presented
based on the studies of past researchers, as well as a comprehensive analysis of
archaeological remains. The process of development from logboats to extended logboats
or semibuilt-up ships, and finally to built-up ships is traced. This study covers evidence
from the Early Jomon period (4000 - 3000 B.C.E.) through the Kofun period (300 - 700
C.E.). A large number of logboat remains date to the Jomon period, and it is these
logboats which become the foundation of later Japanese ships. The number of ship
remains from the Yayoi period diminishes. Therefore, iconographic evidence, mainly
clay ship figures and drawings, are used in order to reconstruct the ships from that time.
This thesis is an account of what is presently known about the ancient watercraft of
Japan, based on the existing ethnographic literature, the archaeological record, and
iconographic sources.
Description
Keywords
ancient ships, Japan