ABSTRAKThe Osaka University Department of Archaeology has been conducting a reevaluation of Nonaka Kofun, located in the Mozu-Furuichi Mounded Tomb group, which is currently on Japan's tentative list for nomination as UNESCO World Heritage Site. the artifacts from Nonaka Kofun are invaluable not only as representative example of a mass deposit of iron goods, but also as tools to aid in our understanding this important mounded tomb group.
This report presents an overview of of recent conservation and utilization efforts conducted by Departments of Archaeology and presents selected results of artifact and X-ray CT analysis.
Combining X-ray imaging and 3D data, x-ray CT analysis is an innovative method to measure and analyze cultural properties. the academic significance of the x-ray CT analysis conducted on a selection of the iron armor from Nanoka Kofun, which has long been highly valued within research on Kofun-period armor, cant be overstated. additionally, iron cuirass no. 11, information on which was hiherto unpublished, has been identified as a riveted rectangular-plate cuirass and a line drawing has been produce. furthermore, line drawings were newly produced for the agricultural implements (square blades and u-shaped blades) and tools (planes, knives and axe heads), and these artifacts were evaluated according to the latest archaeological understanding. analyses of these iron goods reveal that they were produced using sophisticated technology introduced during the mid 5th century and have much to offer typological and technological research.
