A Study on the Formation Processes of Neolithic Hunter-gatherer Societies in the Northern Part of the Japanese Archipelago

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K13563
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Archaeology
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: NATSUKI DAIGO 東京大学, 大学院人文社会系研究科(文学部), 助教 (60756485)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 日本列島北部 / 更新世～完新世移行期 / 新石器型狩猟採集社会 / 生業戦略 / 居住形態 / 文化的影響関係

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research focusing on the northern part of Japanese archipelago　shows formation processes of Jomon/Neolithic hunter-gatherer societies as follows. 1; During the warmer period of the Late Glacial(ca. 15,000-13,000 yBP), the Incipient Jomon culture from the Paleo-Honshu Island coexisted with native cultures (the Terminal Upper Paleolithic cultures), 2; during the colder period of the Late Glacial(ca. 13,000-11,500 yBP), the Incipient Jomon culture was disappeared from Hokkaido. The Initial Jomon culture on Hokkaido, which appeared at the onset of the Holocene, although maintains relationship with those of Honshu, was in the tradition of antecedent TUP cultures. Jomon/ Neolithic hunter-gather societies on Hokkaido, compared with those of Honshu Island, went on intensively distinctive historical process under the climate change in the transition from the Pleistocene to the Holocene, regional setting of ecology and culture.

Free Research Field

先史考古学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

土器出現は人類史の画期を代表する事象として考古学では注目されてきた。世界各地で多くの研究事例があるが、土器出現や技術拡散のプロセスの多様性については未だ不明な部分が多い。本研究では、土器利用を含む新石器的な社会や文化の形成過程を具体的な考古学的現象とその時間的変化によって示し、地域的なモデルを提示した。こうした研究は、従来の一国史的な縄文時代研究では軽視されてきた、日本列島内の多様な先史社会・文化の形成プロセスを理解するうえでも有益である。