Excavation of Jikidoin at Saidaiji Temple

Abstract

This article is an excavation report of Jikidoin at Saidaiji temple. Saidaiji temple was constructed by Koken Daijo Tenno, and it was said it had a huge property of 31 cho at three/four bo, one jo, Ukyo, Heijokyo. Its Jikidoin was assumed to be located at eight tsubo, three bo, one jo, Ukyo. According to Saidaiji Shizai Rukicho, Jikidoin consisted of a dining hall where the monks had their meals, and other buildings such as"Tono (place for offering), ""Oidono, " "Kuriya, ""Konarabikura (storehouse), "and" Kurashiro."
Archaeological features related to Jikidoin were excavated in good condition, and major buildings and bo/jo were confirmed. The two west and east buildings constructed on foundation stones excavated from the southwestern part fit the size of each"Oidono"and"Tono, "and they are assumed as such. Also, a building assumed as"Konarabikura"and a gate which was supposed to be the northern gate of Jikidoin were excavated from the north of Oidono. Based on these results, the location of Jikidoin was confirmed, and in addition, an arrangement of facilities where a dining hall, Tono, Oidono, and Konarabikura were lined on a south to north line on the axis of the block were reconstructed.
On the east of the major building of Jikidoin, buried jars were found lined from south to north. It is assumed that over 80 jars were stored in total, with four lines from east to west, each line consisting of 20 jars. This indicates that there were storage facilities within Jikidoin.
Also, from the southeast of Oidono, the oldest well of the Heijokyo was excavated. Various artifacts such as a wooden tablet with a date of the 11th year of Enryaku, pottery with ink writing, salt making pottery and so on were found from the soil buried in the well. The discovered wooden tablets are the new material for the study of ancient temples that lack ample data, since they names foods and the manor that sent them, and suggests distribution and management of food within Saidaiji.