The outline of Itoshima high school Local Museum
Since the days of middle school under the prewar system,many historical
materials and artifacts had been excavated and gathered to Itoshima high school
which located at the place of Ito state described in the "Gishi"section of
Chinese book"History of the Three Kingdom".
After the Second World
War,Mr.Dairoku Harada who had been deeply associated with this project since its
foundation, he continued devoted and energetic work on classification and
preservation of many artifacts gathered.
Moreover,with supports of
activities of history club members,the explanation to the exhibits and the guide
to the regional room became more satisfactory.
Those days,the regional room
was highly praised as said,"The regional room is more excellent than the college
of America", or"When staying in the regional room,we can experience the ancient
life of Itoshima coming up in our mind."
or"The fruit of long united effort
within school produced the regional room called "The best one of all nation".
In May,1956 when the building used for both a gymnasium and an audiovisual
room was completed,the audiovisual room of middle school under the prewar system
was converted into a library.
On the second floor of a part of the
library,Local Museum was born and designated by Ministry of Education as a
facility "equivalent facility of museum"in October,1956.
This is the way in
which the only "Museum attached to high school designated by the Ministry of
Education" was born.
In 1988,the Local Museum was moved to the joined room
extended on the 3rd floor of building including audiovisual room.
ƒSUMMERY„---------------------------------------------------------------------
Kofun period(300-710)is the protohistoric period which big tomb(kofun)were
built for deceased members of the ruling elite.
While Yayoi
period(300BC-300AD)is grasped as the period of drastic change of life based on
the rice agriculture,kofun period is recognized as the one of the great change
of social system.
In the final analysis,the movements of the people were more
active and wider toward forming an ancient state.
The symbol of kofun period
is a unique tomb shaped like an old-fashioned keyhole.
About 50
keyhole-shaped mound have been discovered in Itoshima until now.
The number
of those discovered in Fukuoka Prefecture is said to total 200,which means that
the number of those discovered in Itoshima alone accounts for one fourth of all
discovered in Fukuoka Prefecture.
The Key hole-shaped mound is not only the
tomb of local leaders but the evidence of the leader of the early Yamato State
concluding pacts with the local leaders such as a leader of Ito state.
This
means that Ito state enjoyed the close relationship with the early Yamato State
and that Ito state was assured the position of the leader in the northern area
of Kusyu island by the Yamato State.
In the Local Museum of Itoshima high
schoolCbronze mirrorsCstone|carved jewelry and clayfigurines("haniwa")etc are
being exhibited, which indicates the prosperity of ancient Ito state.
In the
last term of kofun period,many grave holding the stone chambers with horizontal
entrance passage were built,the number of which is said to be ranged from 500 to
1000.
This explosive increase of the number of graves show that social
circumstances changed around "kofun" changed and that the role of the kofun also
changed.
Most of them became small scale and had been already opened in the
old times with the results of many artifacts in them
excavated.
"Sue"ware,Korean style gray stone ware, was the one of the gratest
number of artifacts among the early displayed ones in the Local Museum was
probably discovered in the stone chamber of such a small grave.
There are
also artifacts among them which are thought to be imports from Korean
Peninsula.
There are other unique artifacts which attracts interests of many
people,such as a pottery excavated from Nagano kofun on which person figure was
drawn and a earthen made doll excavated from Mitoko Matubara remain,which
reminds us of expression and behavior of the people in the ancient times.