Human migration in the Ryukyu archipelago during the prehistoric period based on isotopic analysis for human skeletal remains

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K13234
• 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: Takamuku Hirofumi 九州大学, アジア埋蔵文化財研究センター, 学術研究者 (10759418)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 古人骨 / 考古学 / 自然人類学 / Sr同位体比分析

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, Sr isotope ratio analysis of teeth was conducted on human remains excavated from the lower stratum of the Hirota Site on Tanegashima Island, Kagoshima Prefecture. The results of the analysis indicated that the migrants were from a different geological environment from that of the Hirota Site during their childhood. The results of the analysis of Sr isotopic ratios together with the changes in the composition of the burial accessories and burial facilities indicate that in the old phase of lower levels in the Hirota Site, there were two groups, one showing Sr isotopic ratios similar to those of the local area and the other showing values lower than those of the local area. Later, in the new phase of lower levels int the Hirota site, in addition to the two groups in the older phase, individuals with higher Sr isotope ratios than the local Sr isotope ratios appear.

Free Research Field

自然人類学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の分析対象遺跡である広田遺跡は、特徴的かつ多様な貝製装飾品の研究や出土土器の研究を通じて、琉球列島の他の地域や九州との交流が指摘されている。本研究の分析対象である広田遺跡の下層期は、弥生時代終末から古墳時代に該当する時期である。種子島は律令期には「多禰国」として国に位置付けられ、南島や隼人対策、遣唐使の派遣等の政策をおこなううえでの重要な地域であった。本研究により、「多禰国」が成立する前段階の、種子島における他地域との交流を明らかとなり、中央集権国家の影響力が南西諸島にどのように拡大していったのかを知るうえで重要な知見が得られたと考えている。