ニヒムロノウタゲについて : 「ムロとニヒムロノウタゲ」(その 2)

Abstract

Throughout the Tumulus Period (4th〜7th century A. D.) in Japan, the most popular dwelling house style for the indigenous rice-cultivating people was the so called "Tateana-Zumai (Pit dwelling)", and we know of the plan of the building through archaeological excavations; of the shape of the building by three instances of bronze relief carved in the said Period. The floor of a dwelling of this type was a shallow pit dug in the ground about two feet deep, and there was a hearth in the center of the earthen floor. Covering this pit completely, there was a simple dome-like thatched roof, which had no window but had two little openings in the upper sides of the roof to exhaust smoke from the hearth. A little entrance was also cut in the lower part of the roof. (The building had no wall.) The inner-room of a "Pit dwelling" was a very closed one which could shut the exterior elements off completely. Today, we call this type of dwelling, as mentioned before, "Tateana-Zumai" because of its pit, but we don't know by what name it was called by the people of the Tumulus Period. On the other hand, we can find many buildings called "Ya", "Tono" and "Muro" in Japanese literature such as "Kojiki", "Nippon-Shoki", "Manyoshu" and "Fudoki". All of them were completed in 8th century A.D. Now the author takes up the "Muro" building in this paper. To get its architectural image and historical characteristics precisely, the author thoroughly researched available facts through the scenes presenting "Muro" buildings in the tales, legends and poetry in the said four areas of literature, and got the following points concerning "Muro" clearly. a. All of the "Muro" buildings presented in literature had very closed inner-room. b. The floor of the "Muro" building was an earthen one, and there was a fireplace in the room. c. The people who dwelt in "Muro" buildings were not the rich or noble but the ordinary native people. d. Almost all of the facts about "Muro" buildings were found in very ancient legends in the said literature. e. The origin of "Nifimuro-no-Utage (the ritual banquet for new 'Muro' buildings)" were founded in the folk custom of the rice-cultivating people in very ancient times. Comparing these points with the characteristics of the said "Pit dwelling", there are so many similar points, that the author thinks that we can take the "Muro" buildings in literature as the "Pit dwelling" in archaeological fact. This thesis consists of the following chapters. I. "Muro" buildings in 8th century literature. II. The architectural images of "Muro" buildings. III. The "Nifimuro-no-Utage". IV. The "Muro-foki (the ritual blessing for new 'Muro' buildings)". V. Conclusion.