The Various Aspects of the Developments in Ancient Naniwa Region

-Reinvestigation on Naniwa Port Site and Naniwa Capital Site-

Abstract

In this paper, the author indicated new views about two subjects mentioned below about the developments in ancient Naniwa region. The first is concerned with Naniwa Port Site. In the developments in Naniwa region which started in the 5th century, various facilities, clusters of warehouses and factories of manual industry were set up in the Uemachi Upland and surrounding area. As a result, the character as the city was formed in the region toward the capital transfer to Naniwa Palace. Naniwa Port supported the prosperity of Naniwa region as the base for foreign affairs and trade. The author reexamined archaeological materials concerned with presumption about location of Naniwa Port Site in an early stage and newly estimated the historical value. The second is concerned with Naniwa Capital Site. The time when the divisions of land in Naniwa Capital were ormed after the capital transfer to Naniwa Palace has been currently regarded during Tenmu Emperor’s reign (the fourth quarter in the 7th century). On the other hand, the author indicated a possibility that the time was in the third quarter in the 7th century and considered the historical process that the divisions of land were formed by the developments by the various aims under the influence of the urbanization seen before the transfer and the divisions were remained until the Middle Ages.