An Archaeological Study of Late Jomon Agriculture in Kyushu by Analyzing Livelihood Tools

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K13233
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 03050:Archaeology-related
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: FUKUNAGA Masahiro 九州大学, 総合研究博物館, 助教 (50847093)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 縄文時代 / 九州 / 縄文農耕論 / 生業 / 遺物組成

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we examined all artifacts (including unreported materials) excavated from large-scale settlement sites in the Late Jomon period of Kyushu, Japan, to understand the composition and composition ratios of hunting, fishing, gathering, and plant cultivation tools, thereby constructing a model of Late Jomon occupation in Kyushu. Specifically, our analysis focused on the Amida site in Fukuoka Prefecture, which is synonymous with large-scale settlement sites in the Late Jomon period of the Kyushu Jomon. As a result, we have rethought the “Kyushu Jomon Late Jomon agricultural theory,” which emphasized the cultivation of plants as one element of livelihood, and clarified the situation in the Kyushu Late Jomon period, when hunting, fishing, gathering, and plant cultivation were combined in a well-balanced manner in livelihood activities.

Free Research Field

考古学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

大規模集落遺跡から出土した遺物は未報告のものが多く、注目度が高い植物栽培用具は比較的重点をおいて報告されるなど、公表データに偏りがあることも少なくない。本研究では、未報告資料も含めた遺跡出土遺物の悉皆的調査を実施したことで、極めて良好な分析データを得ることができた。その分析データに基づいて、学史的な研究課題である「九州縄文後晩期農耕論」について再評価し、九州縄文時代後晩期の居住・生業活動の実態の一端を解明できた点は、重要な学術的意義を有する。