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

Nagata, Kazahiro*; Furunushi, Yasuko*; Matsubara, Akihiro*; Kokubu, Yoko   ; Nakamura, Toshio*

The Japanese nails had been produced by the traditional ironmaking way of Tatara until the Edo period since the late of 6 Century. The quality of the Japanese nails is affected from steel produced by Tatara in each age. The C ages of 3 Japanese nails collected at shrines and temples at their repair were measured with accelerator mass spectrometry and calibrated to calendar years. Each C 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 Manjuin temple and the Zaoudo of the Yoshino-Kongoji temple are before 1692, the 12 Century and before 1592, respectively, when they were repaired or reconstructed.