Initial activities started with a workshop in Okayama (February 2019) to establish researchers interactions and protocols.
The first excavations on Tobiotsuka, consisting in two trenches outside of the mound and four square portions inside the stone chamber, have been preceded by a geophysical survey, to obtain 2D sections and 3D images of the structure of the burial mound and and the location of zones where to focus the excavations.
In parallel, a photogrammetric measurements has been done, aimed at 3D rendering of the mound. All activities have been recorded by the team of communicators.
Several ceramic shards have been found in the stone chamber, together with metal fragments and a glass bead. To obtain information on the technology of production and provenance, ceramic and glass samples from another Kofun of Okayama prefecture ( Tatetsuki mound) and from three archaeological sites on Shimane prefecture have been analysed. Presently, the whole set of data is still being elaborated, together with the analysis of Tobiotsuka finds.
Preliminary conclusions are:
- The kofun has been plundered.
- The rank of the deceased was high.
- Probably, the kofun hosted two sarcophagi, one in terracotta and one in wood more or less coeval.
During the excavations soil samples have been collected and analyzed, to delucidate the building technique of the mound and the formation of the tomb pavement. Preliminary results are contrasting, and suggest a more appropriate sample preparation in next excavations.
A vegetation survey of the mound allowed the identification of 30 plant species and to obtain information about the acidity and the level of disturbance of the soil. The microbiological investigations of the soil detected a remarkable variability of fungal communities, with a distributional patterns related to different microenvironmental factors, which need to be further investigated.
We started also an investigation of animal remains, to help the clarification of chronology of the eras and the transition periods under study. We did not find remains of animal origin for now. The investigations of bones from museum collections, mainly of aquatic fauna, allowed to perform a taxonomic identification, and a osteometric and taphonomic study, useful to reconstruct the ecological and economic dynamics of the human community in its ecosystem. Preliminary results are promising.
The architecture of Be-archaeo database has been set up: we have defined the input fields to store/retrieve, and the ontology that will provide the information structure that supports all the phases of the project, up to the design and the implementation of the exhibition. We have also developed a conceptual model of the archaeometric knowledge and identified the major entities to be reported in the forms.
All activities have been disseminated by means of several media: web site, newspaper, conferences, social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter), seminars.
- The database has been released and is openly accessible and implementable.
- Two summer schools have been organized. One in Okayama and one in Turin, followed by Over 100 PhD students.
- Two final exhibitions have been realized. One in Izumo (Japan) and one in Turin.
- Several project related publications have been produced.
