Abstract
Recently Quercus gilva came to be identified from wood structure, and we re-identified oak woods of the Yayoi to Kofun periods from seven sites in the Kanto district, central Japan. Re-identification showed that Quercus gilva was exclusively selected for making hoes and spades during these periods. At four sites in the southern part, Quercus gilva accounted for 50–70% of hoes and spades including unfinished ones and their materials, indicating that these hoes and spades were made around the sites. At two sites in the northern part, Quercus gilva was replaced by other species of Q. subgen. Cyclobalanopsis and species of Q. sect. Aegilops for hoes and spades, and the limited number of finished and unfinished ones made of Quercus gilva were though to be brought from the southern part. Even at the four southern sites, wooden artifacts other than hoes and spades were mostly made from species other than Q. subgen. Cyclobalanopsis, and Q. gilva was used sparingly among the small number of artifacts of Q. subgen. Cyclobalanopsis. This exclusive use of Q. gilva for hoes and spades during these periods was probably due to the elastic and comparatively strong nature of the wood of this species.
