Abstract
The Y-shaped lumbers of chestnut trees from the Jomon period about 4000 years ago were excavated at the Sakuramachi-Site in Oyabe City, Toyama, Japan in 1997. The usage of Y-shaped lumbers at this site has not yet been clarified. A field survey of the Y-shaped lumbers of the Sakuramachi-Site was performed and structural characteristics of the Y-shaped lumbers were investigated. According to these characteristics, the hypothesis that they could have been used as sledges has been proposed. It is thought that people from the Jomon period used the Y-shaped lumbers to transport heavy items such as giant trees. In 2007, at the White Horse Temple in Henan, China, the pushing of an enormous jar by a similar method was actually observed (picture is below). This supports the theory that the Y-shaped lumbers found at the Sakuramachi-Site could have been used as the pushing type Shura.
