Pursuit of the Formation Processes of Ainu Ethnicity

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24242030
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Archaeology
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: KATO Hirofumi 北海道大学, アイヌ・先住民研究センター, 教授 (60333580)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): ISHIDA Hajime 琉球大学, 医学研究科, 教授 (70145225) ; YOSHIDA Kunio 東京大学, 総合研究博物館, 特招研究員 (10272527) ; SATO Takao 慶応義塾大学, 文学部, 教授 (20269640) ; YONENOBU Hitoshi 鳴門教育大学, 大学院学校教育科, 准教授 (20274277) ; HUDSON Mark 西九州大学, リハビリテーション学部, 教授 (20284052) ; YONEDA Minoru 東京大学, 総合研究博物館, 教授 (30280712) ; ADACHI Noboru 山梨大学, 総合研究部, 教授 (60282125) ; MASUDA Ryuichi 北海道大学, 理学研究院, 教授 (80192748)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): KIYAMA Katsuhiko 東海大学, 清水教養教育センター, 講師 (20507248) ; EDA Masaki 北海道大学, 総合博物館, 講師 (60452546) ; OKADA Mayumi 北海道大学, 創成研究機構, 助教 (80635003) ; NAGANUMA Masaki 北海道大学アイヌ, 先住民研究センター, 准教授 (80601418)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-10-31 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: アイヌ / エスニシティ / 海獣儀礼 / 古代DNA / 海洋適応 / 文化統合 / 礼文島 / オホーツク文化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this research project, we can provide a rich resource to suggest the strong influence of the Marine Hunter-Gatherer cultural tradition in the social-cultural context into the formation process of Ainu and their cultural traditions.
Our archaeological investigation at Hamanaka 2 site, in Rebun Island, Hokkaido, Japan, has been clearly shown that the tradition of Sea-mammal worship tradition continuously inherited from the preceded prehistoric culture into the historical Ainu culture.
In the field of genetics, we have got a valuable resource for further progress. So far, presented complexity of the formation process of Ainu, we have to consider the need for the social, economic, political aspect and influence in the formation process of ethnic identity and its variability. We would like to continue for further accumulation and deepening of collected research resources in this project.

Free Research Field

考古学