Marine adaptation and behavioral ability proved by transportation of Kozushima obsidian at the Early Upper Paleolithic

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K03165
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Archaeology
• Research Institution: Meiji University
• Principal Investigator: Ikeya Nobuyuki 明治大学, 研究・知財戦略機構, 研究推進員 (80596106)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 神津島産黒曜石 / 黒曜石原産地推定 / 現生人類 / 往復航海 / 海洋適応 / 愛鷹山麓 / 台形様石器 / 石斧

Outline of Final Research Achievements

At the Early Upper Paleolithic, Kozushima obsidian unearthed in Honshu mainland indicates the oldest round-trip voyage of the world human history. This study demonstrates that the distribution center of Kozushoma obsidian was located on Mount Ashitaka．In addition, it reveals these obsidians were distributed to the southern foot of Mount Yatsugatake in Chubu region and also to the southern foot of Mount Ashio in Kanto region based on the identifying obsidian using EDXRF. Procuring obsidian from Kozushima Island across the Pacific Ocean had been continued from 37ka to 34ka at the EUP. To raise the reliability of obsidian identification, neutron activation analysis is carried out in Missouri University Archaeometry Laboratory. In order to reveal the sea conditions in which the round-trip voyage was possible, this research examine the sea crossing examples between Kozushima Island and southern tip of Izu peninsula by sea kayak.

Free Research Field

先史考古学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

旧石器時代における神津島産黒曜石供給の実態解明は、人類学や考古学の分野で国際的な関心が高まりつつある旧人から新人への交代劇や、現生人類特有の行動能力に関する議論に具体的論拠を提供する。長距離の海峡横断、特に往復航海は現生人類の「計画的行動能力」や「技術革新能力」と密接に関わることから、神津島産黒曜石の存在はその行動能力を具体的に論じるうえで欠かせない材料となろう。前期・中期旧石器とされてきた石器群のほとんどが資料的価値を失ったことにより、現生人類は４万年前以降に、列島を囲む海峡のどこかを渡航して列島に到達したと考えられるようになった。神津島産黒曜石は彼らの渡航技術と海洋適応を担保する。