Medieval Metal Work Artists and Their Specialties(centering around forged works)

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Unlike cast metal works,there are few forged and engraved metal pieces known to have been made by specific smiths.While casters always called themselves casters,forgers and engravers used various names to call their professions,such as"dozaiku"(copper smith),"ginzaiku"(silver smith), "kazarishi"(decoration mater,)"choko"(engraver),"sharitoshi"(sarira casket maker),"doko"(copper smith)and"saiku"(craftsman).In"Shin Sarugaku-ki"written by Fujiwara no Aknihira is a mention of"black smith, founder and silver and gold smiths",suggesting there were metal work artists other than iron forgers and founders."Dozaiku"and"ginzaiku" apparently belong in this group.The works by the users of the name "dozaiku"include a silver sutra case of Sefuku-ji,Osaka with the earliest date of 1139,sarira casket of Saidai-ji,Nara dated 1270 and mikoshi (portable shrine)of Futarasan Jinja,Tochigi dated 1389,indicating the name was used from the Heian to Muromachi Periods.Kazarishi is generally considered to have been emerged in the Edo Period and specialized in minute works such as chain and hair pin.However,the discovery of the word "kazariya"in the inscription on the Saidai-ji sarira casket dated 1414 revealed the origin of the name can be traced back to the Muromachi Period. It is notable that while metal fittings on mikoshi were made by kazarishi in the Edo Period,the maker of those on the example at Futarasan Jinja seems to have called himself dozaiku,implaying kazarishi derived from dozaiku.Further,there are a group called"kazaribusshi"who are considered to have been specialized in the ornaments for wood statues of Buddhist deities with techniques commpon to kazarishi.It is presumed that kazaribusshi used the name kazarishi when they started to work at other places than temples.