MEIJI University established an affiliated institute, the "Cultural Properties Laboratory" in 1996 with subsidies for the facilities of private schools funded by the Education Ministry of Japan, aiming to elucidate both the history and culture of mankind from the aspect of physical science, i.e. materially, through the studies of a wide variety of cultural properties. The laboratory installed many powerful analytical instruments including the X-ray fluorescence spectrometer, the X-ray diffractometer, the low-vacuum mode scanning electron microscope and the gas chromatography/mass spectrometry system. We promote advanced interdisciplinary studies involving not only faculties of the School of Arts and Letters but also that of the School of Science & Technology, the School of Agriculture and museum's curators. Studies of the origin of obsidian, chemical analysis of clay body of potteries, origin identification of ironware and bronze ware as well as clarification of their manufacturing technique, componential analysis of red pigment, analysis of organic relics such as natural lacquer, feces and fatty acids, all of which are well known as the effective physical scientific analysis of cultural properties. Our high-performance equipment are available not only for these analyses but also for the measurement of the deterioration of on going cultural properties and technical investigation of their restoration and treatment.

Obsidian was widely used as a raw material for hunting equipment and cooking ware in the Stone Age, which is now excavated in large quantities from different archeological sites all over Japan. The elemental composition of obsidian determined by the X-ray fluorescence spectrometer indicates the origin of the obsidian that the ancient people used and is of key importance to understand the cultural exchanges in those periods.

From the analysis by the X-ray fluorescence spectrometer of clay which was used for pottery manufacturing, the local origin and its manufacturing technique can be determined. The distribution channel of that period can also emerge from the results of clay body analysis on a lot of pottery and earthenware excavated in various regions of Japan.

Precious cultural properties such as bronze swords, pikes and bell-shaped vessels, can be nondestructively analyzed on their elements by the large X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. With this analysis, the clue to understanding that era's manufacturing techniques will be revealed.

Some clay vessels coated with a red tinge on their surfaces are often excavated from archaeological sites. There are several red pigments used for coating, which are red lead(Pb3O4), cinnabar (HgS) and colcothar(Fe2O3). The information about the element of the pigment derived from the fluorescent X-ray analysis helps to determine which red pigment was used.

Using the pyrolysis gas chromatography/mass spectrometry system for the componential analysis of natural lacquer adhered to or coated on the surface of artifacts, the local origin of the lacquer (Japanese, Myanmar or Vietnamese) can be identified. Prof. Tetsuo Miyakoshi of the School of Science Technology, carries on the study of the manufacturing technique of lacquer works from the componential analysis of natural lacquer.

The paleoenvironment including sedimentary environment, paleovegetation and paleoclimate can be extrapolated from the macrofossil analysis of pollen and diatom, which are found in the layer bearing the artifacts or other geological strata around the archaeological site, using the scanning electron microscope as well as the optical microscope.