The archaeology of road

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  • 道の考古学
  • ミチ ノ コウコガク

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This paper examines the existence of the road for human beings from the viewpoint of human history. First, I take up a 3.6-million-year-old fossil footprint found in Laetoli (Tanzania) and ask whether it is a road. Next, I take up 'Shichido-Ekiro' (road system of the ancient nation in Japan), which were made to maintain the unity of the nation, and consider the problems related to the road from its establishment to modem highways. In addition, I organize the problems related to the roads before the establishment of 'Shichido-Ekiro', and argue that the roads were established while being closely related to the beginning of the sedentary of human beings. Based on the above considerations, I present the development process of the path in human history as follows: The 1st pre-stage: Individual movement The 2nd pre-stage: Going up onshore The 3rd pre-stage: Trail (which formed by the repeated treading of people or animals). The 1st stage in human history: A road that began with the sedentary of human beings. The 2nd stage in human history: A road deliberately created by collective work. The 3rd stage in human history: Road system of the ancient nation made to maintain the unity of the nation. Human beings began to use many words related to the road by inventing (discovering) the road. Finally, I point out that concepts and various expressions of road have created new realms of thought for human beings, not in the sense of the metaphorical expression of the word road.

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