<論説>画文帯神獣鏡と古墳文化

Abstract

古墳副葬鏡として三角縁神獣鏡につぐ多量の出土例をもつ画文帯神獣鏡は、その製作は東漢末から三国、西晋代に中心があり、三角縁神獣鏡とほぼ同じ時代に属するが、わが国では、後者が初期の古墳の副葬品を代表するのに対し、前者は一部これと重なり合いながらも、一時代おくれる古墳から出土することが多い。しかも副葬鏡の組合せからみると、九州では両者は伴出せず、地域も異にしているのに対し、それ以外の地では、一部の三角縁神獣鏡が画文帯神獣鏡と組合うことも多い。その理由として、当時の対華貿易の情勢が考えられる。華北系とみられる三角縁神獣鏡は三世紀の対華北貿易のおこなわれていた間に渡来してきたとおもわれる。一方画文帯神獣鏡は華南系であつて、対江南貿易の主としておこなわれた四、五世紀の間に多くはいつて来た。しかも、九州では、北部が華北貿易に関係が深かつたのに対し、江南貿易は南九州の豪族も積極的に参与した。そこに両鏡が分布と時代を異にするる結果が生じた。ところが九州以外の地では、前代に三角縁神獣鏡を手に入れた豪族の子孫が、次の江南貿易で画文帯神獣鏡をも入手したので、一部に両鏡が伴出することもあつたわけである。

Among the imported Chinese mirrors found in Japan, the most important groups are the gods-and-amimals-designed and these are divided mainly into tws types : type A has a pointed rim and a saw toothed band, which is of Wei 魏 origin in the three Kingdoms periods and type B has a flat rim and a figured design band, which is of southern China origin, dominant from the end of the eastern Han 東漢 dynasty to Wu 呉 and Chin 晋 dynasties. In Japan, type A was mostly found in the ancient tumuli of the earlier stage situated widely in the northern Kyûshû 北九州, Setouchi 瀬戸内, Kinki 近畿 and Tôgoku 東国, and type B was generally discovered from one stage later tombs, in the southern Kyûshû 南九州 and Honshû. Namely, in Kyûshû 九州 these two types were never excavated together, while in other regions, both of them also came together in some cases. For this fact an interpretation is as follows : in the third century the trade with the northern China was carried on by way of the northern Kyûsyû and Korea when type A came into Japan : in the fourth century, when the northern China was disunited and the Han 漢 style culture moved into the southern China, and so the trade with the northern China was off and the trade with the southern China was dominant, type B came into Japan, at the time of which powerful clans in the southern Kyûshû, in place of the northern Kyûshû, were active, anticipating the public missionaries of the Yamato 大和 dynasty. Therefore, in Kyûshû 九州 both of the types seldom came together, but in another districts except Kyûshû descendants of the same clans with that had imported type A accepted type B, and so both types came together in some cases. These archaeological phenomena show the historical background against which the rebellion of Kumaso 熊襲 was burst out and also the eastward conquest by Jimnu 神武 started here in this southern part of Kyûshû.