GIS Based Studies in the Humanities and Social Sciences - Chpater 12

12 Computer-Simulated Settlements in West Wakasa: Identifying the Ancient Tax Regions — The Go-Ri System Izumi Niiro CONTENTS 12.1 Introduction ...............................................................................................163 12.2 The Case-Study Region ............................................................................165 12.3 The Reconstruction of Agricultural Productivity and the Extent of GO...............................................................................................168 12.4 Results and Discussion of the Case Study............................................171 12.5 Broader-Scale Analysis..............................................................................172 12.6 Conclusion .................................................................................................174 References.............................................................................................................174 12.1 Introduction GIS began to be widely employed in archaeology from the beginning of the 1990s. Early research is represented by Interpreting Space: GIS and Archaeology (Allen et al., 1990), the Santa Barbara conference held in 1992 at the University of California (Aldenderfer and Maschner, 1996), and the 1993 Ravello Conference held in Ravello, Italy (Lock and Stancic, 1995). Prior to 1995 “GIS provide[d] archaeologists with a sophisticated means of manipulating spatial data, but offer[ed] limited support for modeling change through time” (Lake 2000). Although it was not directly related to archaeology, the Brookings Institute in the United States developed the Sugarscape model for diachronic research (Epstein and Axtell, 1996). This was a deliberate attempt to simulate chronological change in cultural dif-fusion, wealth accumulation, and so on using an artificial society compris- 163 Copyright © 2006 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC 164 GIS-based Studies in the Humanities and Social Sciences ing agents in 50 ´ 50 cells. In spatial terms, however, 50 ´ 50 cells differ greatly from actual societies. Later, M.W. Lake from the University of London used MAGICAL (Multiagent Geographically Informed Computer Analysis) software in an attempt to combine GIS and multiagent simulation based on Mesolithic foraging in Isley, Scotland (Lake, 2000). Attempts to combine spatial analysis and the simulation of chronological change have been gradually advancing. We have been using GIS in archaeological analyses since around 1993 (Niiro, Kaneda, and Matsushita, 1995). In 2001, we published an introduc-tory volume on GIS archaeology, discussing various examples of spatial analysis in archaeology, mainly using case studies from Japan (Kaneda, Tsumura, and Niiro, 2001). Following this, we have expanded our research to diachronic simulations of demographic change and settlement-forma-tion processes using actual historical spaces. Various conditions make Japan particularly suited to this type of research. First, since the late 1960s, economic development has been con-centrated in a relatively narrow land area, resulting in an astonishing number of rescue excavations. From detailed distribution surveys across Japan, there is a high density of spatial data that link archaeological mate-rials with regional historical reconstructions. Second, data on administra-tive organization and population statistics remain from the eighth century A.D. onward. There is, for example, a document from 702 that has data on almost all members of some villages with more than 1000 people. Even when viewed on a world scale, this is an important data set of ancient statistics (Farris, 1985). From these ancient demographic data, it has been estimated that the total population of Japan at that time was 5 million. Considering that the detailed population statistics of the Domesday Book in Britain were produced in the 11th century, this represents an important ancient data set. Third, there is the sudden expansion of digital data, including detailed digital-elevation data (DEM: Digital Elevation Model). These three points provide a good context for simulations of actual histor-ical space. Given these advantages, we have been undertaking an archaeological and historical project in an attempt to develop a computer simulation of diachronic change in ancient society using actual historical spaces. This simulation model is distinctive in that it combines GIS-based spatial anal-ysis and agent-based diachronic analysis. Because the project is ongoing, this chapter focuses on the synchronic part of the current outcome of this simulation. First, we show a simulation model that quantitatively estimates agricultural productivity, considering landforms and historical records. Second, through this GIS-based simulation, we attempt to reveal the inten-tion of the ancient bureaucratic land organization. Copyright © 2006 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC Computer-Simulated Settlements in West Wakasa 165 0 10 km Wakasa Bay FIGURE 12.1 Geomorphology of the case-study region. 12.2 The Case-Study Region This chapter uses an area 25 km east-west and 20 km north-south in Wakasa Province, referred to as the Wakasa study region (Figure 12.1). This area forms the western side of Wakasa Bay, which is one of the largest bays on the Japan Sea coast (Figure 12.2). It was chosen for the case study because it is one of the easiest places to compare current geography with ancient bureaucratic land divisions and place names found in the documents. The area is about 100 km north of Nara, the capital at that time, and was known for marine products and salt production. Wakasa, with its good, natural harbors, had long been an important place on maritime transportation routes, and was one focal point for trade with various regions of the Korean Peninsula, as well as being a special area producing marine products for tribute to the court. In the Wakasa study region, land suited for agricultural production is somewhat limited, the region being known more for fishing and other marine products (Figure 12.1). The southern half of the area is mostly hills, with the highest at 699 m and others more than 400 m dotting the landscape. Settle-ments are formed along the rivers and on slopes facing the sea, and these rely mainly on rice farming. The northern half, in contrast, has many pen- Copyright © 2006 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC 166 GIS-based Studies in the Humanities and Social Sciences Wakasa study region Hokkaido Kyoto Nara Tokyo Kamakura Okinawa 0 500 km FIGURE 12.2 Location of the Wakasa study region. insulas, with hardly any land suitable for farming, and dependence on fishing is high. According to the ancient records, as part of the land division known as the go-ri system, six administrative divisions called go were established in the Wakasa study region (Tateno, 1995). The go-ri system, established in 717, formed the first administrative geographical divisions in ancient Japan and was introduced over quite a short time span until 740. Go comprised 50 households, called ko (extended families), and were divided into two or three ri. In some cases, small units that could not form ri were designated as goko (“five households”). On average, go contained more than 1000 people. The go-ri system was established over a wide area of Japan, and the rough location of these divisions can be estimated by linking modern place names with place names recorded in ancient texts and on excavated inscribed wooden tablets (mokkan). A long debate has Copyright © 2006 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC Computer-Simulated Settlements in West Wakasa 167 0 10 km Tai Hibiki Kawabe R. Shiraku Kurahashi Kono Kizu Ao Okada Ohi R. Saburi FIGURE 12.3 Modern place names related to ancient Go-ri names. ensued over whether the go, ri, and ko show the actual nature of villages and families at the time or whether they were predominantly contrived by the authorities. Most scholars agree that administrative influence was strong, but opinions differ over the extent to which the divisions also show the reality of ancient Japan. The names of the go in the Wakasa study region are Shiraku, Kurahashi, Ao, Kizu, Ohi, and Sabu (Figure 12.3). Of these, Ao go seems to have the most complex structure. From the texts it is known that Ao go was made up of the following ri and goko: Ao ri, Ono ri, Kawabe ri, Hibiki goko, and Tayui goko (Tateno, 1995). Of these, the pronunciation of Ono is close to the modern place name of Kono, and Tayui to Tai. Furthermore, the present locations of most of the place names of Ao go are known. Looking at the distribution of those names, it is difficult to regard the whole of Ao go as having a geo-graphical unity. In particular, Kawabe belongs to a completely different river system and is now in a different prefecture. Kono, Hibiki, and Tai are fishing villages, and it is difficult to see them as being especially closely related to Ao ri. From these points, therefore, the composition of Ao go has several unnatural aspects. If we could understand the causes of this structural com-plexity, it should be possible to deepen our understanding of the existing debate over whether or not go, ri, and ko represent actual ancient villages and families. We would like to investigate this problem using a GIS-based reconstruction of agricultural productivity. Copyright © 2006 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC ... - tailieumienphi.vn