<研究ノート>用材乾燥問題からみた長岡宮の造営

Abstract

長岡宮造営の状況・特徴などについては、昭和三〇年からはじまった十数年におよぶ発掘調査から色々と解明せられてきた。この発掘調査の結果については、毎年京都府教育委員会『埋蔵文化財発掘調査概報』に発表されているし、また近い将来『長岡京発掘調査報告書』ができることになっている。ここでは視点を用材乾燥問題にしぼり、長岡宮造営について考察してみる事にする。

It has been concluded that in the 3rd year of Enryaku 延暦 (784 A. D.) Emperor Kanmu 桓武天皇 appointed a large group of officials for the construction of Nagaoka Palace 長岡宮, and the assasination of Tanetsugu Fujiwara 藤原種継, chief constructor, on September of the next year caused the slow advance of the construction. The construction, however, was found surprisingly to make a good progress, owing to the excavation for more than ten years and remains discovered through development. This article will treat the construction of Nagaoka Palace from another point of view : For the phisical reason that enormous volume of timber should be used after a pretty long period of drying, it goes without saying that Daigokuden 大極殿 and Dairi 内裏, which had already been completed on the New Year's day in the next year of the transfer of the capital, should be constructed with materials of the former palace, Naniwa Palace 難波宮 ; and judging from the fact that the reconstruction of Daigokuden and Otemmon 応天門 at Heian Palace 平安宮in "Sandai-jitsuroku" 三代実録 needed more than one year's period of drying timbers, the construction of Nagaoka Palace by Tanetsugu might be reasoned to be mainly the removal work of the former Palace.