Course Type: Lecture
Study Focus: KBR, VMC
Term: Fall
Teacher: YOSHII Hideo, SHIMOGAKI Hitoshi, Erika Angela FORTE
Course Code: JK41002
In this lecture, participants will gain an overview of diverse archaeological inquiries into prehistoric and ancient East Asia.
The discussion will emphasize our research outcomes, shedding light on distinct aspects of
archaeological studies in Japan, Korea, China, and Central Asia. A particular focus will be a comparative analysis of methodologies in archaeological research on East Asia, specifically in Japan, contrasted with approaches commonly employed in Europe and the United States.
The Department of Archaeology at Kyoto University, renowned for its contributions to the field, has conducted excavations at notable sites in Japan, Korea, and China. Additionally, the department has curated a rich collection of artifacts from various global regions.
This special lecture will showcase the archaeological data collected through these endeavors, offering participants an exploration of East Asia’s cultural heritage and its global connections.
Course Information
Module: Research and Advanced Studies
CATS Requirements: MA 1st. year or above
Day/Period: Mon 5
Location: Archeology
Sem. Room
Credits: 2
This special lecture will adhere to the following general structure. The detailed plan for each class will be announced in the introduction.
1 Introduction (3 weeks)
General Introduction to the special lecture and the archaeology at Kyoto University
2 Archaeology of daily life cultures in prehistoric and ancient Japan(4weeks)
This section will outline prehistoric and ancient daily life cultures (clothes, foods, toilet and so on) from structural remains and artifacts excavated in Japan.
3 The Eastward Transmission of Buddhist Culture. An Archaeological Perspective (4 weeks).
Originated in India, Buddhism spread to China and Japan through Central Asia. The archaeological material of some important sites along the Silk Road, which played a key role in the transmission of Buddhist culture to East Asia, will be the focus of this section.
4 History of the East Asian archaeology in Japan (3weeks)
This section will outline the history of archaeological investigations, studies and the gathering of artifacts in Japan, Korea and China by Japanese archaeologists,
5 Feedback(1week)
Course Goals
Upon completion of this special lecture, students will have gained familiarity with East Asian artifacts and developed a general understanding of issues related to prehistoric and ancient archaeology in the region.
For a detailed course schedule, please visit KULASIS.
Attendance and participation: 40%, Course Essay:60%