Archaeochemical Investigation of Ancient Glass Artifact Unearthed from the Kanto Region by XRF Analysis

Glass products, such as glass beads excavated in Japan from Yayoi to Kofun period sites, were all produced abroad and brought to Japan via unknown ports. This paper reports on the results of non-invasive chemical analysis using a portable XRF on 253 glass beads excavated from various archaeological sites in the Kanto region. The base glasses were classified into three types: i.e., potash glass, soda lime glass, high alumina soda lime glass, which showed similar characteristics to those excavated from the Kyushu region. These similarities were also confirmed through trace element signatures of heavy elements. In the late Yayoi period, in both the Kyushu and Kanto regions potash glass comprised the majority of the glass chemical compositon; however, during the Kofun period, this changed to mainly soda lime glass in the Kanto region, while high alumina soda lime glass is dominant in the Kyushu region