北魏平城時代における墓制の變容

Abstract

In the last few decades, a considerable number of tombs were discovered and our knowledge about the mortuary system in the Northern Wei 北魏 Period has rapidly deepened. The transformation of mortuary system in the 5th century reflects not only the Sinification process of the Tuoba Xianbei 拓跋鮮卑 but also intercultural conflict between agricultural and nomadic traditions. The purpose of this paper is to reveal the Sinification process of nomads analyzing the transformation of burial structure and customs in the 5th century. First, I re-examined chronological framework of potteries unearthed from the tombs in the southern suburbs of Datong 大同 and concluded it to be right for the most part. According to the Sinification process of the Tuoba Xianbei, crafting technique of potteries was improved in stages, especially in the late 5th century. Secondly, the burial structure must have been variable according to the status or wealth of its owners. Since early part of the Northern Wei period, a small group of the aristocracy had already been buried in the brick-chambered tombs, such as the tombs at Meidai Village 美岱村 and the mural tomb at Shaling Village 沙嶺村. The brick chamber tombs with curvy-side square plan and pyramidal ceiling were rapidly diffused as the upper-class burials in the late 5th century, while the pit-style or underground cave style burials with wooden coffins held the majority in the lower and middle class cemetery. The square-shaped chambers with terracotta figurines and funerary couches were prepared for its owners' next life. These things indicate that the new type of burial structure which had been diffused in the late 5 th century was attended by ideological changes on burials.