open access

https://hdl.handle.net/2115/52575

Study on the production region of iron goods and the roots of forging technology of the Okhotsk Culture

英語

production areas of iron goods

2013-03

Hokkaido University Museum

Bulletin of the Hokkaido University Museum

6

1-17

The forging technology of the Okhotsk culture, using pottery shards in substitution for tuyere and for furnace walls, was quite unique. The author had an assumption that based on this technology there were two kinds of metallurgical processes of techniques, facilities, raw materials, and products in the Okhotsk culture. One is the relatively popular forging, operating by twin blowing through two shards constructing the furnace. The raw material used is steel. The other is the refining of high carbon material or cast iron into steel using single blowing associated with heavy slag as a byproduct. While for a long time “the northern continent” was generally assumed to be the place of origin of the forging technology and some iron goods of the Okhotsk culture, it has now become possible to narrow such places down from Middle Amur region to Baikal region as one of the actual areas of origin of the unique forging technology and iron goods. Beside, combining archaeological evidence with metallurgical analysis, it become possible to point out that the production areas of iron goods changed from continent to Honshu the main island of Japan at the late stage of the culture, and the unique forging technology fell into a decline.

紀要論文

Version of Record

1348-169X

AA11842183