著者

川瀬 豊子 Toyoko Kawase

出版者

国立民族学博物館

雑誌

国立民族学博物館研究報告 = Bulletin of the National Museum of Ethnology (ISSN:0385180X)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.4, no.1, pp.43-78, 1979-07-30

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Persepolis Fortification Tablets (PFT) deal with administrativetransfers of foodstuffs from 509 to 494 B.C., i.e., from thethirteenth to the twenty-eighth year of Darayavau-I. Throughthe investigation of these tablets, this essay attempts to reconstructtentatively the major outline of the royal management of UDU.NITA.Ninety-three texts referring to UDU.NITA were extractedfrom PFT, to which was added Fort. 6764, published by G. G.Cameron. The following facts emerged from the detailedanalysis of the texts:1) The royal nutanus (stockyard) was the central organization ofUDU.NITA breeding in the royal economy;2) Breeding was based on the consignment system;3) A form of cattle tax (bazis) was levied by the royal court;4) The use of meat and hides is confirmed by the texts, whereasthat of wool and milk is only suggested, as for products derivedfrom UDU.NITA. In additon, UDU.NITA were rituallysacrificed.5) The consumption of UDU.NITA, was apparently restrictedin daily life, and evidently, the interest of the royal court centeredon increase of UDU.NITA and utilizing them alive. It is thoughtthat UDU.NITA were not regarded as consumer goods, butrather as savings;6) The consignment system and the levy of bazis seem to haveshared the functions of linking the royal economy with the cattlebreeders, from which it may be concluded that in addition totheir economic functions, the consignment system and the levy ofbazis aimed at the close interaction with the cattle breeders.