The Yayoi People and Fish Food Culture: Investigating the Origin of the Rice and Fish Food Culture

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K13229
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 03050:Archaeology-related
• Research Institution: Yamagata University
• Principal Investigator: Shiroishi Tetsuya 山形大学, 学士課程基盤教育院, 准教授 (60825321)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 弥生時代 / 食文化 / 実験考古学 / 残存脂質 / コメ / 魚 / 調理 / 土器付着炭化物

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aims to comprehensively elucidate the fish diet in the Yayoi period using archaeological and Lipids Analysis analyses. In particular, we conducted a residual lipid analysis of earthenware cooking traces and attached carbides on pottery excavated from Yayoi sites. As a result, it was clarified that fish cooking was commonly practiced in both inland and coastal areas. The analysis of animal remains at those sites revealed that freshwater fish were likely to have been the target for inland objects and saltwater fish for coastal sites. This indicates that a "rice and fish" food culture has been established in various areas since early rice farming. These results were presented at national and international conferences and in national journals.

Free Research Field

考古学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

弥生時代は、日本列島で稲作農耕が開始された時代である。従来の食に関わる研究は、コメに高い比重が置かれてきた。しかし、実際にはコメだけでなく、縄文時代以来の多様な食材が利用されてきたことは疑いない。一方で、現代日本における和食の基本は「コメと魚」である。本研究では、この魚の食に着目し、調査・分析を行った。その結果、弥生時代では内陸部および沿岸部を問わず、積極的な「魚食」が明らかになった。つまり、稲作導入期にはすでに「コメと魚」を組み合わせた食文化が始まっていたのである。これにより、和食のはじまりは、すでに弥生時代にその萌芽を確認することができた。