Munamochibashira (base-to-ridge-posts) are posts that rise from the ground to directly support the ridge. They are an important object of study in examining the origin, transformation, and spread of an architectural culture. It is already known that buildings with base-to-ridge-posts exist in vernacular architecture from research in Asia and Europe, but this type of building in Central America has not been discussed in previous studies. In 2013, we conducted a field study in Central America and observed this type of building. In Mexico, we frequently found buildings with base-to-ridge-posts in vernacular architecture. Moreover, we found buildings of this type: 1) among wooden buildings designated as UNESCO's World Heritage Sites on the American continent; 2) in villages around Tapalpa, about 120 km from Guadalajara; and 3) in academic books and research reports in Spanish that we obtained in Mexico and reports in Spanish or English collected afterwards.In this paper, we report the findings of our field and literature studies concerning buildings with base-to-ridge-posts among structures made by the indigenous people of Mexico. We will also demonstrate that the origin of buildings with base-to-ridge-posts on the American continents could be Asia or Europe. Since we directly observed buildings with base-to-ridge-posts in Mexico and established that there are base-to-ridge-post styles of architecture on the American continents, we claim that the continents are part of cultural areas that have buildings with base-to-ridge posts. Consequently, we maintain that Central America is a highly important field of study in investigating the history of buildings with base-to-ridge-posts from the prehistoric era on a worldwide scale.

In our examination of Boki-e, we identified the characteristics of the horizontal elements by focusing on the nail head covers and boat-shaped bracket arms and analysed the pictorial representation of those characteristics. As a result, we found that in a number of cases the vertical elements, painted in different ways, were supporting the ridge directly (i.e., base-to-ridge posts) without being separated at the joint with the horizontal elements. We think that it is safe to assume that the houses painted in Boki-e represent those which existed in medieval Japan. Therefore, we concluded that there indeed were buildings with the base-to-ridge post structure at that time. Fukinuki yatai, Uchinori nageshi (beams above doors/windows), Nokigeta (eave purlins), Katafuta (ornamental column/beam), Jikubu (supporting part), Munamochibashira

The objective of our project is to clarify the patterns of inheritance and the dissemination of wooden construction technologies on a global scale. For this objective, we took base-to-ridge posts in the northern Mesoamerica region as a sample of wooden construction. We analysed the characteristics of them and explored what those characteristics suggest in the context of inheritance and dissemination. The term 'base-to-ridge posts' here refers to posts that rise from the ground to provide direct support of the ridge. Mesoamerica is an important region in understanding the architectural history and traditions of Native Americans. In 2013, the authors conducted a field study on buildings with base-to-ridge posts in several countries in the northern part of Mesoamerica (Mexico, Guatemala and Belize) in order to obtain broader knowledge of the buildings in the region. The field study consisted of the following:(1) visual observation of buildings from the window of moving cars; (2) close observation and photography; (3) actual measurements; and (4) interviews.We analysed the details of these 24 buildings according to the indices we set. As a result, we obtained a representative model of these 24 buildings and identified the following traits: gabled roof; non-natural roof material; without mortises; earth-fast posts; round, unpeeled logs with y-shaped tops; ridge-supporting posts consisting solely of base-to-ridge posts; three base-to-ridge posts; used as a shed; agricultural occupation; built by non-specialists; and built in or after 2000. We found that, among the twelve factors we identified as typical traits of the buildings with base-to-ridge posts in the area, as many as six reflected rudimentary technologies or were related to older lifestyles. Thus, as this representative model with its traits shows, buildings with base-to-ridge posts preserve many old architectural characteristics with simple appearances that are easy to recognize and are easy to build without professional techniques to be handed over from generation to generation.Because of these characteristics, knowledge of buildings with base-to-ridge posts is easy to transmit and has the inherent power to spread. This power is based on the basic structure of this architectural style that can be learned by visual observation. The buildings with base-to-ridge posts in the northern part of the Mesoamerica region preserve the old techniques while being inherited, spreading, built, and maintained -they are an 'active architectural heritage' alive and practised today.

The place of both center posts and gable posts in Chinese architectural history corresponds to the munamochi-bashira ridge-supporting posts in Japanese architectural history. While center posts emerged as the result of the replacement of wooden posts stood upright inside with those cleverly combined with horizontal members, gable posts emerged from the gradual introduction of wooden members into exterior perimeter mud walls originally containing none. The difference between the former and latter reflects that in the origination, an ancient difference existing since the birth of architecture. This supposedly ancient yet present difference characterizes the architectural styles in northern China.

This article focuses on the earliest types of dwellings that developed from cave dwellings in the northern China because they represent one of the development of wooden structures. The goal was to identify the process of development of architectural technology originating from cave dwellings to pit dwellings with wooden pillars, to semi-pit dwellings with wooden pillars, and then to more complex wooden structures. For this objective, we investigated the research materials from the excavation of structures in China from the age of Yangshao culture focusing on the upper-middle stream of the Yellow River basin of northern China. As a result, we discovered that base-to-ridge post construction already existed among wooden structures as the most primitive type. Keywords