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Sachihiro Omura

おおむら さちひろ

Omura Sachihiro

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1946-01-01 （Morioka, Iwate, Japan）
Died
2025-05-20 （Central Turkey (home)） age 78
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese, Turkish, English
Residence History
Morioka, Iwate, Japan → Tokyo, Japan (Waseda University period) → Ankara, Turkey (study abroad) → Central Turkey (excavation base / residence)

Career

Occupations
Archaeologist, Researcher, Excavation Director, Institute Director
Active Years
1970-2025
Affiliations
Middle Eastern Culture Center (Tokyo), Anatolian Archaeological Institute (JIAA), affiliated with the Middle Eastern Culture Center
Memberships
The Japan Oriental Society

Education

Waseda University, Faculty of Letters
Faculty of Letters / Western History
Country: Japan
Graduated from Waseda University, Western History
Ankara University, Faculty of Language, History and Geography
Faculty of Language, History and Geography / Department of Hittitology
Degree: 博士課程修了（中近東考古学）
Country: Turkey
Studied in Turkey as a government-sponsored student; completed doctoral course in Middle Eastern archaeology.

Awards

Kodansha Nonfiction Award
1981
Work: The Empire That Produced Iron
Organization: Kodansha
Result: 受賞
Papyrus Prize
2004
Work: Anatolia Excavation Diary
Organization: Papyrus Prize (organizer unknown)
Result: 受賞
Mikasa-no-miya Orient Academic Prize
2011
Organization: The Japan Oriental Society
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Buried Ancient Empire: Turkey Excavation Diary

1978 Archaeology / Excavation Report

A report-style account of excavations in Turkey, including field records and explanations of discoveries.

ExcavationAncient AnatoliaArchaeological methodology

The Empire That Produced Iron: Hittite Excavations

1981 Archaeology / Nonfiction

A popular account summarizing excavation results on the Hittites and iron production; addresses debates on the origins of ironworking.

HittitesIron productionHistory of technology

Turkey: A Journey Through World History

2000 Travel / History

A general guide-like book introducing Turkey's history and archaeological sites through travel.

Turkish historySite guides

Anatolia Excavation Diary: Twenty Years at Kaman-Kalehöyük

2004 Archaeology / Excavation Report

A record summarizing twenty years of excavation results and field conditions at Kaman-Kalehöyük.

History of excavationAnatolian historyArchaeology

Winds of Anatolia: Archaeology and International Contribution

2018 Essays / Archaeology

An essay collection discussing the international significance of archaeological research and cultural exchange.

International cooperationCultural heritage protection

Bibliography

  • Buried Ancient Empire: Turkey Excavation Diary (1978)
  • The Empire That Produced Iron: Hittite Excavations (1981)
  • Turkey: A Journey Through World History (2000)
  • Anatolia Excavation Diary: Twenty Years at Kaman-Kalehöyük (2004)
  • Winds of Anatolia: Archaeology and International Contribution (2018)

Translations by Author

  • Kurt Bittel, The Discovery of the Hittite Kingdom (co-translator, 1991)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Clear, field-report centered proseExplanatory style that organizes academic findings for general readers
Recurring Motifs
Depictions of excavation sitesHistory of technology (ironmaking)Exploration of Anatolian history

Legacy

Through long-term excavations centered on Kaman-Kalehöyük, he advanced Anatolian archaeology and brought findings to both Japanese and international audiences. His contributions to the history of technology, including studies on the origins of ironworking, have been widely recognized.

Academic Societies

  • The Japan Oriental Society

Archives

  • Middle Eastern Culture Center Archives

In Popular Culture

  • Media outreach including appearance on NHK's program 'Kokoro no Jidai' (2020) to popularize archaeology

Trivia

  • Reportedly born three days after his family returned to their home in Morioka.
  • His older brother, Tsugio Omura, is a photographer.
  • Descended from a family that experienced repatriation from Manchukuo after WWII.