Stone spoon - Ishisaji

A chipped stone tool with a knob-like protrusion on one end and a sharp blade. It was named after its shape, which resembles a spoon. It is a characteristic stone tool of the Jomon period. There are those with a blade that is nearly perpendicular to the knob-like protrusion (vertical type) and those that are nearly parallel (horizontal type). Generally, vertical types are more prevalent in the early period of Tohoku and Hokkaido, while horizontal types are more prevalent in the early period of Kinki, and from the middle period onwards, both types were distributed nationwide. Stone spoons are thought to have been a versatile tool, used for skinning trees and animals, and as a knife for cutting meat. There are also examples of stone spoons in the Tohoku region that have natural asphalt attached to the protrusions, which suggests that they may have been used with handles attached. In addition, in Kiuchi Sekitei's "Unkonshi" (1773-1801), there are references to stone spoons such as "tengu's rice spoon" and "fox's rice spoon."

[Mitsunori Tozawa]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

一端につまみ状の突起部があり、鋭い刃部をもつ打製石器。形状が匙に似るところから命名された。縄文時代の特徴的な石器である。刃部が、つまみ状突起部に対して直角に近いもの（縦型）と平行に近いもの（横型）がある。一般に東北、北海道の早期では縦型、近畿の前期では横型が中心で、中期以降は両者が全国的に分布する。石匙は樹木、動物の皮剥(かわは)ぎや肉切り用のナイフなど用途の広い道具であったと考えられる。また東北地方の石匙の突起部には天然アスファルトの付着した例があり、柄(え)をつけて使用した可能性もある。なお、木内石亭(きうちせきてい)の『雲根志(うんこんし)』（1773～1801）には「天狗(てんぐ)の飯匕(めしがい)」「狐(きつね)の飯匕」など石匙の記載がみられる。

［戸沢充則］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例