14C ages and calendar years of Japanese nails measured with accelerator mass spectrometry

Abstract

The Japanese nails had been produced by the traditional ironmaking way of Tatara until the Edo period since the late of 6 Century. The Tatara is characterized as the ironmaking using very fine iron sand as the resources and is distinguished from the pre-modern ironmaking way in Europe using lump iron ore. The quality of the Japanese nails is affected from steel produced by Tatara in each age. The 14C ages of 3 Japanese nails were measured with accelerator mass spectrometry and calibrated to calendar years. Each 14C age provided plural calendar year periods with definite probabilities, and one of the periods determined in comparison with the history of temples and their repair records. The production ages of nails used in the Daibutuden of the Todaiji temple, the living quarters of the Manshuin temple and the Zaoudo of the Yoshino-Kinpusenji temple are before 1692, the 12 Century and before 1592, respectively, when they were repaired or reconstructed.