Ancient Japan 'more cosmopolitan' than thought:

Ancient Japan 'more cosmopolitan' than thought:

Ancient Japan may have been far more cosmopolitan than previously thought, archaeologists said Wednesday, pointing to fresh evidence of a Persian official working in the former capital Nara more than 1,000 years ago.

A wood strip more than 1,000 years old that was excavated in Japan's former capital Nara names a Persian official living in the country [Credit: Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, via Kyodo R

Present-day Iran and Japan were known to have had direct trade links since at least the 7th century, but new testing on a piece of wood—first discovered in the 1960s—suggest broader ties, the researchers said. Infrared imaging revealed previously unreadable characters on the wood—a standard writing surface in Japan before paper—that named a Persian official living in the country. The official worked at an academy where government officials were trained, said Akihiro Watanabe, a researcher at the Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties. The official may have been teaching mathematics, Watanabe added, pointing to ancient Iran's expertise in the subject. Read more at archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com...

Wow this has been a great month for ancient contacts in Asia Pacific , and this is on the heels on

Roman coins found buried under ruins of Japanese castle.

www.abovetopsecret.com...
In case you missed it^^ pls check it out, TBH I like most other people had it drummed into our heads that ancient Japan was an isolated bubble, and that would be true after the country slapped a ban on foreigners during the Tokugawa Shogunate which lasted for about 200yrs, except certain ports of entry like Dejima in Nagasaki rigidly patrolled and sealed off from the general public.
Bonus note I took it on myself to note the many christian crosses etched on old walls around Nagasaki, hard to spot since most are covered with moss like plants or worn.
But this find is great and Nara is proving to be filled with Surprises like the Roman coins and glass wares klik above link for more to those finds, but those could have been trading items that eventually found it's way to Japan, but here we have a math teacher from Persia in the flesh and not a trader ..wow!
Btw why didn't they give his name, if it is on that piece of wood I can't translate it.

a reply to: Spider879

This is interesting. It shows evidence that Japan and Iran had trade routes over 1,000 years ago.

a reply to: Spider879 There is also other rumors concerning this possibility. I can't get the source, but archeology showed that Asian presence in UK was way way older than firstly thought.

originally posted by: Argentbenign
a reply to: Spider879 There is also other rumors concerning this possibility. I can't get the source, but archeology showed that Asian presence in UK was way way older than firstly thought.

maybe you are speaking of the find in Roman Britain??

Skeleton find could rewrite Roman history

www.abovetopsecret.com...
Yeah our ancient world is looking smaller than ever.

Wow, a new definition for Cosmopolitan
Used to mean
"familiar with and at ease in many different countries and cultures."
Now means,
"one immigrant"
I love how fluid language can be
thanks for the heads up

originally posted by: Marduk
Wow, a new definition for Cosmopolitan
Used to mean
"familiar with and at ease in many different countries and cultures."
Now means,
"one immigrant"
I love how fluid language can be
thanks for the heads up

Yeah but where there is one, there are bound to be more and given the other pre Tokugawa finds it may point to more dynamic interactions.

a reply to: Spider879 Exactly the one! Small world indeed.

a reply to: Spider879

Nice find!

originally posted by: Spider879

originally posted by: Marduk
Wow, a new definition for Cosmopolitan
Used to mean
"familiar with and at ease in many different countries and cultures."
Now means,
"one immigrant"
I love how fluid language can be
thanks for the heads up

Yeah but where there is one, there are bound to be more and given the other pre Tokugawa finds it may point to more dynamic interactions.

1. I wasn't being totally serious, semi humourous
2. Speculation isn't evidence