Abstract
During the Edo period, Osaka was known especially for its copper refineries, of which the Sumitomo copper refinery was by far the largest. From 1636 to 1876, the plant was located near the city centre. During the so-called period of seclusion (1630s to 1850s), Sumitomo copper played a prominent role in international trade and diplomacy. It was exported on a large scale, mainly through Nagasaki, by Chinese merchants and the Dutch East India Company. The operations of copper production are recorded visually in the Kodo zuroku , a manual from the Sumitomo copper refinery that was published in the early nineteenth century. Archaeological excavations were undertaken at the Sumitomo copper refinery site between 1990 and 1992, revealing numerous furnaces and tools. Scientific analysis of the excavated objects has made it possible to reconstruct their original functions, and has provided important additional insights into the world depicted in the Kodo zuroku . Keywords:archaeological excavations; Chinese merchants; Dutch East India company; international trade; Kodō zuroku ; Osaka; Sumitomo copper refinery site
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