立正大学ウズベキスタン学術調査隊は、ウズベキスタン共和国科学アカデミー芸術学研究所と調査に関する合意書をかわし、同国スルハンダリヤ州テルメズ郊外に位置する仏教遺跡カラ・テペの発掘をおこなった。カラ・テペの創建年代は、クシャン朝のヴィマ・タクト(ソテルメガス)統治の1世紀半ばもしくはカニシカ1世統治の2世紀頃とされる。一方、その寺院としての廃絶時期は、4世紀頃と推測されてきた。 発掘は2014年から2017年の毎9月におこなわれた(全4回)。 カラ・テペ遺跡における調査地点は、北丘に構築された仏教伽藍のうち中心部に位置する僧院の西側回廊の隣接部分であった。調査によって出土した遺物は、数百点の土器片を主体として、若干の金属製品、石製品の破片、壁画の一部、人骨などであった。また、レンガ内の骨片と土壌の炭の放射性炭素年代測定の結果を得て、カラ・テペ寺院北丘の建造物の年代測定に関する仮説を立てた。 The Rissho University Uzbekistan Academic Research Group entered into research agreement with the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and has conducted excavations of the Buddhist complex called Kara Tepe(or Kara Tepa), located on the outskirts of Termez in the Surkhandarya Region. The site’s construction is thought to date to the time of the Kushan Empire during the reign of Vima Takto (also known as Soter Megas) in the mid-1st century, or of Kanishka I, around the 2nd century. Meanwhile, regarding the era when it fell into disuse, it has been hypothesized that use of the site as a temple was discontinued around the 4th century, Excavations were conducted four times, in September each year from 2014 through 2017.The area within the Kara Tepe temple complex where our group conducted excavational research was a site adjacent to the corridor on the western side of the monastery. This site occupies a central position within the complex of Buddhist temples constructed on the northern hill. The relics unearthed in the four years consist mainly of several hundred earthenware sherds, along with a small number of fragments from metal artifacts, and stone artifacts and a part of wall paintings and a few human bones among others. And having obtained the results of radiocarbon dating for fragments of bones in some bricks and charcoals in soil, we could lay out hypothesis with regard to dating some constructions located on the northern hill of the Kara Tepe temple complex.
