日本における考古遺構の管理 [Archaeological Heritage Management in Japan] By Prof. Ken'ichi Sasaki 佐々木憲一

In this seventh webinar in our "Tuesday mornings in Tokyo" series of Smithsonian-Meiji University webinars, Professor Ken'ichi Sasaki (Meiji University) speaks about "Archaeological Heritage Management in Japan" (). Series co-hosted by Dr. Paul Michael Taylor (Smithsonian, Asian Cultural History Program) and Dr. Toru Yamada (Meiji University), with generous support from the U.S. Embassy, Tokyo. In English with Japanese subtitles. This is a recording of the live broadcast from Tokyo, June 8, 2021, 10 a.m. The live webinar was followed by live sequentially translated discussion and Q&A with Prof. Sasaki (included here), moderated by Prof. Toru Yamada (Meiji University).
Citation: Viewers may cite this webinar by its title, author, and URL. Broadcast & published June 8, 2021.
Title and Abstract in Japanese (see English below): 日本における考古遺構の管理.日本では46万件以上の考古遺跡が登録されており、毎年約9,000件の発掘調査が行われている。本報告では、埋蔵文化財の管理制度とその実践について紹介する。日本における発掘調査の96％以上は、開発工事やインフラ整備の前に行われている。つまり、これらの遺跡は発掘後に取壊され、その代わりに遺跡の発掘調査報告書がまとめられる。例えば、高速道路の建設に先立って行われる大規模な発掘調査は、半年以上の期間が必要とされ、その結果5トン以上の土器片が出土する。このような大規模な発掘調査では、報告書が発行されるまでに、遺物整理・図面作成に2年以上の期間が必要となる。発掘、遺物整理、出版にかかる費用は、日本円で6億円以上（アメリカドルで500万ドル以上）に上ることもある。そして、発掘調査や遺物整理室での分析に携わる都道府県や市町村、自治体が設立した発掘・調査専門の独立組織、そして、民間の発掘調査会社が発掘に関わる責任を担うことになる。どの組織が発掘を行うかは、発掘の規模や土地の所有者が誰かのほか、自治体における文化財担当の専門職員の有無といった地域的な事情にも左右されるのである。
Archaeological Heritage Management in Japan
In Japan more than 460,000 archaeological sites are registered, and some 9,000 archaeological excavations take place every year. In this presentation, I will introduce the system of archaeological heritage management and its practice. More than 96% of archaeological excavations in Japan are carried out prior to the development of infrastructure. In other words, these archaeological sites are destroyed after the excavations, and site reports are published later. A large-scale excavation conducted prior to, for example, construction of an expressway, can last six months and result in the discovery of more than five tons of pottery sherds. Such a large-scale excavation requires more than two years of laboratory work prior to the publication of a site report. The cost for the excavation, laboratory work, and publication can be more than 600,000,000 Japanese yen or five million US dollars. All the prefectural governments, numerous municipal and township governments, independent units devoted for excavations and laboratory works established by local governments, as well as private excavation companies are responsible for these excavations. Which organization conducts an excavation depends on the scale of an excavation, the ownership of a land to be excavated, and other local conditions, such as a municipal or township government lacking professional staff of archaeological heritage management.
Bio: Dr. Ken'ichi Sasaki is a professor of archaeology in the School of Arts and Letters at Meiji University.