Shell ring

In a broad sense, it refers to shells with artificial holes in them, and in a narrow sense, to shells that can be used as bracelets. Shell rings were produced from the early Jomon period through the Yayoi period and into the Kofun period. Jomon shell rings have been excavated mostly in eastern Japan, and examples of people wearing them are more prevalent in western Japan, but the number is small and limited to certain individuals. Shell rings are worn mostly by older women, and include ark shells, ark shells, crassula bonnets, and oyster shells. About 10 other shell species, including Otsutanohagai and Akanishi, are also used to make shell rings. In the Yayoi period, there are many examples of shell rings being worn in western Japan, mainly Kyushu. There is a clear division of use between cone shells, which were used by women, and oninishi and tengunishi, which were used by men. In areas other than Kitakyushu and the Ryukyu Islands, a small number of Jomon shell species are worn by women.

[Masayuki Horikoshi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

広義には貝殻に人為的な孔(あな)のあるもの、狭義には貝製腕輪として使用可能なものをいう。縄文時代早期から弥生(やよい)時代を経て古墳時代まで製作が続く。縄文時代の貝輪出土数は東日本に多く、着装例は西日本に目だつが例数は少なく、特定の人物に限られる。貝輪着装は年長の女性に多いことが特徴で、サルボウ、アカガイ、ベンケイガイ、イタボガキなどが用いられている。ほかにオオツタノハガイ、アカニシなど約10種が貝輪の材料になっている。弥生時代も九州を中心とした西日本に着装例が多い。イモガイは女性、オニニシ、テングニシは男性という使用区分が認められる。北九州と南西諸島を除く地域では、縄文的貝種の貝輪が女性に少数例着装されている。

［堀越正行］

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