Evidence for weapon-related traumas in medieval Japan

Observations of the human crania from Seiyokan

Dados Bibliográficos

ID6136036
AutoresTomohito Nagaoka (0000-0001-8802-9593, Department of Anatomy, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Kawasaki), Kazuhiro Uzawa (University of East Asia), Kazuaki Hirata (Department of Anatomy, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Kawasaki)
Ano2010
Volume118
Fascículo2
Páginas129-140
Data de publicação2010-01-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoAnthropological Science (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0918-7960 • E-ISSN: 1348-8570
EditoraAnthropological Society of Nippon (PUBLISHER • JP)
DOI10.1537/ase.091007
OpenAlexW2040088972
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas13
Referências citadas35

The Seiyokan site is located in Kamakura, Japan, and has yielded 91 human skeletons belonging to the 14–15th centuries AD. The purposes of this study are to examine the human crania from the archeological site at Seiyokan, to analyze the presence, distribution, and variability of their weapon-related traumas, and finally to better understand violence in medieval Japan from osteological evidence. The results demonstrate that the traumas on the crania have morphological features consistent with human-induced cut marks. The presence of cut marks on the Seiyokan crania, which strongly suggests the prevalence of violence in medieval Japan, is in accord with the historical background—that a militarily organized society was founded by force and that the rise to political power of the warrior class and the establishment of a military government resulted in continuous disturbances, armed conflicts, and violent death

Ancient history · Archaeology · Bioarchaeology · Crania · Geography · Osteology · Paleopathology · Political science · Politics · Power (physics · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Forensic and Genetic Research · Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies · History · Law