Belt fittings - Obikanag

A decorative metal fitting made of gold, silver, or gilt bronze that is attached to the surface of a leather or cloth belt. In China, belt hooks became popular as obi fasteners during the Warring States period, and in the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties periods, the custom of decorating belts with metal fittings spread with the influx of northern horse-riding peoples' Hu clothing. The Jin-style belt fittings, which were incorporated into the uniforms of government officials, are a prime example. The fittings that are attached to the belt with rivets consist of a clasp, a hook, a metal fitting at the end of the belt, and a hatchet tail, and the openwork patterns on each include dragons, tigers, phoenixes, and arabesque patterns. The San'en culture (4th to 5th centuries) of the Xianbei people, who were based in the western Liaoning Province in northeastern China, used belt fittings brought directly from the Central Plains of China, as well as belt fittings that imitated them and were decorated with their own unique patterns. In Silla on the Korean peninsula, belt fittings with arabesque designs were mainstream, but Silla also produced belt fittings with openwork dragon designs influenced by Chinese belt fittings. In the Japanese archipelago during the Kofun period, Chinese Jin-style belt fittings were introduced through exchanges with the Gaya region in the mid- to late 4th century, and Silla dragon-design belt fittings were introduced from the mid- to late 5th century. However, belt fittings did not become widespread in Japan until the adoption of katai (metal or stone belts) that were compatible with the uniform regulations of government officials during the Ritsuryo period.

[Senga Hisashi]

"A Study on Ancient Belt Metal Fittings by Akira Machida" (Archaeological Journal 56-1)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

革または布製の帯の表面につけた金、銀、金銅製の飾り金具。中国では戦国時代に帯留金具としての帯鉤(たいこう)が普及し、魏晋南北朝時代になると、北方騎馬民族の胡服(こふく)の流入とともに帯を金具で飾る風習が広まる。官人の服制に組み込まれた晋式帯金具は、その代表例である。帯に鋲留めで取り付ける金具は、鉸具(かこ)、銙(か)、帯先金具、鉈尾(だび)からなり、それぞれに施された透彫り文様は、竜、虎、鳳凰、唐草文などがある。中国東北部の遼寧省西部に拠点をおいた鮮卑(せんぴ)族の三燕(さんえん)文化（4～5世紀）では、中国中原(ちゅうげん)地方から直接もたらされた帯金具と、それを模倣し独自の文様で飾った帯金具も使用された。朝鮮半島の新羅では、唐草文の帯金具が主流だが、中国の帯金具からの影響を受けた竜文透彫り帯金具も、新羅で製作された。古墳時代の日本列島では、4世紀中葉と末に加耶(かや)地域との交流を通じて中国の晋式帯金具が、5世紀中葉から後半には新羅の竜文帯金具がもたらされている。ただ、日本での帯金具の本格的な普及は、律令期の役人の服制に対応した銙帯(かたい)（金属製または石製）が採用されて以降のことである。

［千賀　久］

『町田章著「古代帯金具考」（『考古学雑誌』56-1）』

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