Investigation of diet and radiocarbon ages of Jomon skeletal remains using the isotope analyses

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K16276
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Cultural assets study and museology
• Research Institution: Museum of Natural and Environmental History, Shizuoka
• Principal Investigator: Kusaka Soichiro ふじのくに地球環境史ミュージアム, 学芸課, 准教授 (70721330)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 年代測定 / 同位体 / 縄文時代 / 人骨

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The investigation of social structure during the Jomon period has been conducted based on the Archaeological research on the excavated human skeletal remains. However, the ages of skeletal remains were obscure, and precise estimates of ages were needed. Then, I have analyzed stable isotope ratios and radiocarbon dates of human skeletal remains from the Jomon period, Japan. The carbon isotope analysis on tooth enamels of human skeletal remains revealed the high dietary dependence on terrestrial food as well as marine food. The radiocarbon measurements of bone collagen revealed that the human skeletal remains belong to the Late-Final Jomon period.

Free Research Field

自然人類学