Zooarchaeological research on late Pleistocene large Cervidae

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K12567
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 03060:Cultural assets study-related
• Research Institution: National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: SAWAURA Ryohei 独立行政法人国立科学博物館, 人類研究部, 協力研究員 (20816201)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 後期更新世 / 旧石器時代 / 動物考古学 / シカ類化石 / 下地原洞穴遺跡 / マイクロウェア

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Due to a change in the principal investigator's affiliation and the pandemic of the new coronavirus, this research had to drastically change its course from the original plan, which was to focus on Giant Japanese elk (Sinomegaceros yabei) and moose (Alces alces), but it was a significant achievement in that important findings on silicone impression materials, the basis for dental microwear texture analysis. In addition, new information on the Pleistocene extinct deer fossil occurrence in the Ryukyu Archipelago was accumulated through the excavations at the Shimojibaru cave site in Kumejima. And the possibility of the use of marine shellfish by Pleistocene humans was also recognized through 14C dating on the specimen collected in the cave.

Free Research Field

骨考古学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

エナメル質マイクロウェア（微小摩耗痕）分析の基盤となるシリコーン印象材について、印象精度を左右するのが動的粘弾性（硬化のパターン）であることを示し、この分野の分析法の標準化に貢献した。また、琉球列島における更新世のシカ類の産状に関して久米島町下地原洞穴遺跡の発掘調査を進めることで新知見を蓄積した。これは、今後更新世シカ類の絶滅時期やその要因を検討する際に重要な意義を持つ。