Using sulfur isotopes to determine the sources of vermillion in ancient burial mounds in Japan

Bibliographic Data

ID12134244
AuthorsTakeshi Minami (0000-0003-0691-2089, Kindai University, corresponding author), Akira Imai (0000-0002-3058-9915, Kyushu University), Michiaki Bunno (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology), Kunihiko Kawakami (Archaeological Institute of Kashihara), Setsuo Imazu (Archaeological Institute of Kashihara)
Year2004
Volume20
Issue1
Pages79-84
Publication date2004-12-22
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueGeoarchaeology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0883-6353 • E-ISSN: 1520-6548
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/gea.20035
OpenAlexW2066416818
LanguageEN
Citations received9
References cited7

This study represents an attempt to determine the sources of vermillion found in ancient Japanese burial mounds of the 1st–6th centuries A.D., by comparing their ratios of sulfur isotopes with those of cinnabar ore samples collected in Japan and China. Cinnabar ore samples were taken from three mines in central Japan (Niu in Mie, Yamato in Nara, and Sui in Tokushima prefectures), and from Wanshan in China, where mining activity has been recorded back to the 6th century A.D. and earlier. When the ratios of a 34 S and 32 S were compared with the Canyon Diablo meteorite standard, a high δ 34 S value of +22.6 ± 3.6‰ was found for the Wanshan mine, as opposed to low values ranging from −7.3 ± 1.9 to −2.1 ± 1.6‰ for the Japanese mines. The ratios of sulfur isotopes in vermillion collected from ancient Japanese burial mounds also divided into two groups. High ratios (+11.1 to +22.8‰) were found in 1st‐ and 2nd‐ century burials in the western regions of northern Kyushu and San'in, suggesting that local, powerful chiefs obtained vermillion through relations with China. Lower ratios (−8.4 to −2.0‰) were found in burials of the 2nd through 6th centuries in central Japan, where the ancient Yamato dynasty emerged as the first unified polity around the end of the 2nd century A.D. We, therefore, conclude that the Yamato dynasty exploited local sources of vermillion, rather than depending solely on China. The present study demonstrates the feasibility of determining sources of vermillion using sulfur isotope ratios, and the relevance of such findings for archaeological research. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Archaeology · Canyon · China · Cinnabar · Geography · Geomorphology · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Geology and Paleoclimatology Research · Isotope Analysis in Ecology · Geology · Paleontology

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