Archaeology and History of Toraijin

Human, Technological, and Cultural Flow from the Korean Peninsula to the Japanese Archipelago c. 800 BC–AD 600

By Song-nai Rhee, C. Melvin Aikens, Gina L. Barnes

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In light of the recently uncovered archaeological data and ancient historical records, this book offers an overview of the 14 centuries-long Toraijin story, from c. 800~600 BC to AD 600, exploring the fundamental role these immigrants, mainly from the Korean Peninsula, played in the history of the Japanese archipelago during this formative period.

Contents
About the Author
Reviews

Preface ;
Introduction ;
CHAPTER ONE: RICE-BEARING TORAIJIN ;
I. THEIR HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL BACKGROUND: SONGGUK-NI TYPE CULTURE OF THE PENINSULA’S MIDDLE MUMUN SOCIETY (c. 900–400 BC) ;
CHAPTER TWO: BRONZE-BEARING TORAIJIN OF THE MIDDLE YAYOI (c. 350 BC–AD 50) ;
CHAPTER THREE: IRON AND GLASS-BEARING TORAIJIN OF THE LATE YAYOI/ EARLY KOFUN PERIOD TORAIJIN (c. 50–350 AD) ;
CHAPTER FOUR: THE MIDDLE-LATE KOFUN PERIOD TORAIJIN: IMAKI NO TEHITO (“Recently Arrived Skilled Artisans”) (c. 350–600 AD) ;
CHAPTER FIVE: IMAKI NO TEHITO’S CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE MIDDLE-LATE KOFUN SOCIETY ;
COLLABORATION NOT CONQUEST ;
CONCLUSIONS ;
References ;
INDEX

About the Author

Song-nai Rhee is Academic Vice President/Dean Emeritus and Emeritus Professor of Archaeology at Bushnell University, Eugene, OR and Courtesy Research Professor in the Center for Asian and Pacific Studies, University of Oregon. His research interests include East Asian history and archaeology; emerging complex society in ancient Korea and Japan; history and archaeology of the Toraijin; archaeology and ancient history of Israel and the Near East; Jewish history; origins and evolution of fortification systems in the Levant. ;

C. Melvin Aikens is Emeritus Professor of Archaeology at the University of Oregon and Emeritus Director of the Natural and Cultural History Museum, University of Oregon. His research interests include: archaeology and ancient History of Pacific Northeast Asia; prehistory and protohistory of Korea and Japan; transnational cultural interactions in the Japan Oikumene; archaeology of the Great Basin; Oregon archaeology. ;

Gina L. Barnes, is Professor Emeritus of Japanese Studies, Durham University, Project Affiliate, Earth Sciences, Durham University, and Professorial Research Associate in the Department of History of Art and Archaeology, SOAS University of London. Her Research interests include: archaeology and ancient history of East Asia with a special emphasis on Japan and Korea; state formation in Korea and Japan; ancient Korea-Japan relations; emergence of Yamato kingship; Japanese geology; tectonic archaeology.

Reviews

'... it is an ambitious project to cover 1400 years of the dynamic socio-cultural developments from the Bronze Age to the state formation and early states period of Korea and Japan, including the Kofun and Three Kingdoms period, with 200 pages and 60 illustrations and maps. Nevertheless, beyond any doubt, this monograph is of extraordinary value and significance as the only book in the English language focused on the role of the Toraijin in the emergence of a complex society and early state during Japan’s formative period. The scholarly/academic significance of this book may be likened to that of 'Archaeology of Ancient China' by K. C. Chang (Yale U. Press (1963, 1986) and 'Prehistory of Japan' by Higuchi and Aikens (Academic Press, 1982), which, for many decades, have exerted overwhelming influence on the international scholarly community on the understanding of Chinese and Japanese archaeology respectively.' – Prof. Gyeong-taek Kim (2021): Journal of Ancient Korean Historical Society

"This is a fascinating and most comprehensive research on the important topic."– Dr Emiko Ohnuki-Tierney (2021)

"This well detailed study of the toraijin should give many cause to rethink their assumptions regarding the substance and character of early relations between the peoples of Korea and Japan." – Dr Jonathan Best (2021)

‘In my opinion as a historian of early Korea, the ideal target audience for Archaeology and History of Toraijin includes graduate students and professional researchers of early Korea and early Japan. For Koreanists, it is a must-read for anyone working on the archaeology, history, and legacy of the Kaya states and Paekche. For Japanologists, it should be required reading for those working on and teaching about premodern Japan.’ – Richard D. McBride II (2023): Monumenta Nipponica, MN 77:2

'...this book is a must-read for anyone interested in the study of early East Asian history or in the history of Japanese-Korean relations.' – David Weiss (2023): The Journal of Japanese Studies Volume 49

Publishing Scholarly Archaeology since 1997

Publishing Scholarly Archaeology since 1997

Archaeology and History of Toraijin

Human, Technological, and Cultural Flow from the Korean Peninsula to the Japanese Archipelago c. 800 BC–AD 600

Contents

About the Author

Reviews