hottate 掘立

Also written 掘立て, 掘建て. A construction technique whereby the feet of posts, hashira-no-nemoto 柱の根元, are embedded directly into the earth, rather than set upon foundation stones *soseki 礎石, or ground sills *dodai 土台, at ground level. It is the oldest system of securing the base of a timber-frame structure to the ground, originating in the primitive structures of prehistoric and proto-historic Japan. The technique was widely used in the ancient period for prestigious structures, and persisted in some forms of vernacular structure into the Edo period. Also it has survived as a traditional form of construction in shrine buildings at Ise Jingū 伊勢神宮, Mie Prefecture.