Reared animal detecting method based on dietary reconstruction of zooarchaeoogical remains

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K16340
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Cultural assets study and museology
• Research Institution: Yamanashi Prefectural Museum (2018); The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (2017); The University of Tokyo (2016)
• Principal Investigator: Yamada Eisuke 山梨県立博物館, 山梨県立博物館, 学芸員 (30748968)
• Research Collaborator: KUBO Mugino ; KUBO Tai ; KOHNO Naoki
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 家畜化 / 動物考古学 / マイクロウェア / イノシシ / ブタ / 環境考古学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study tested whether reared boars can be detected by three-dimensional dental microwear. As resluts, the modern wild boars had significantly smooth surface with scratches, whereas those of the stall-fed were dominated by large and deep gouges althogh their genetic backgrounds were almost similar. Dental microwear also differed between the two wild populations with different body sizes and habitats. These results suggest that dental microwear of boar reflects several factors not only dietary contents. For further study, it is necessary to determin which factor is the key of dental microwear prior to fully application this method for zooarchaeological remains.

Free Research Field

文化財科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究が提唱する推定法は、所要時間が短く、非破壊的であり、また死亡直前の食性に対する検出力が優れるなど、出土資料の分析に好適である。本手法と他の手法とを同一資料に併用すれば、個体レベルで「ヒトによる飼育」の有無を直接的に確かめられるようになり、飼料を食べ始めた「野生」個体や、再野生化した「家畜」個体など、従来は困難だった事例を検出できる可能性がある。これらの成果を通じて、家畜動物の成立過程と、その伝播に関する詳細な知見を得ることが可能になると期待される。