Interdisciplinary Study on the 17th-Century Ainu Culture and Environment Based on Traces of Large Volcanic Eruptions and Tsunamis

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19H01352
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 03050:Archaeology-related
• Research Institution: Date City Institute of Funnkawann Culture (2020-2022); Hokkaido Museum (2019)
• Principal Investigator: Soeda Yuji 伊達市噴火湾文化研究所, その他部局等, 専門委員 (40300842)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 永谷 幸人 伊達市噴火湾文化研究所, その他部局等, 学芸員 (10844269) ; 青野 友哉 東北芸術工科大学, 芸術学部, 准教授 (60620896)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 噴火 / 津波 / アイヌ文化 / 17世紀 / 伊達市

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We performed analysis regarding the excavation of the Kamuitapukopushita site and Oyakotsu site in Date City, resulting in the findings below. We discovered field sites from 1640-1663. It is important to note that based on two volcanic ash deposits, the field remains were dated to 1640-1663; further, they were discovered in an area further south of the southern Usuwan coast where they had previously been detected. This suggests that the 17th-century field sites existed over a wide area in the Usu district and there was a significant overlap between field sites and the Ainu residential area. This reveals the possibility that the Ainu, who were hunter-gatherers, were engaged in full-scale agriculture, as well. Results of lipid residue analysis of scallop shell oil lamps excavated from the sites have allowed us to infer the possibility that lipids from land animals were also used, instead of lipids from the sea animals and marine fishes known thus far.

Free Research Field

地学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

17世紀の北海道の記録は断片的にしか残されていないため、1640～1663年に限定される遺構・遺物の分析からアイヌ民族の生活や自然災害を高分解能で明らかにできたことは重要である。また、これまでアイヌ文化については、限られた地域での古老への聞き取り調査の結果が、歴史的視点や地域性を欠いたままアイヌ全体を表すものとして定説化してしまっていた部分が多々見られたのが現状である。研究代表者は、所属が変わったことで胆振地域（伊達市）での研究成果を遠く離れた十勝地域でも公表したことにより、より多くの人々にアイヌ文化には豊かな歴史性や多様性・地域性があることを具体的データで示し伝えることができた。