Interdisciplinary Research of the Pleistocene Humans in the Northernmost Part of Honshu

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25284152
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Archaeology
• Research Institution: Keio University
• Principal Investigator: SATO TAKAO 慶應義塾大学, 文学部, 教授 (20269640)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): KAWAMURA Yoshinari 愛知教育大学, 教育学部, 教授 (00135394) ; SAWADA Junmei 新潟医療福祉大学, 医療技術学部, 准教授 (10374943) ; NARA Takashi 新潟医療福祉大学, 医療技術学部, 教授 (30271894) ; WATANABE Takehiko 慶應義塾大学, 文学部, 准教授 (90343003)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): Adachi Noboru 山梨大学, 医学工学総合研究部, 教授 (60282125) ; Kurozumi Taiji 千葉県立博物館, 動物学研究科, 主任上席研究員 (80250140) ; Suzuki Tetsuya 慶應義塾大学, 理工学部, 教授 (10286635) ; Suzuki Toshiko 東北大学, 歯学研究科, 准教授 (70261518) ; Chiba Tsuyoshi 神奈川県立歴史博物館, 学芸部, 学芸員 (70589845) ; Matsubara Akiko 慶應義塾大学, 経済学部, 教授 (20239065) ; YONEDA Minoru 東京大学, 総合研究博物館, 教授 (30280712)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 学際的研究 / 旧石器 / 絶滅動物 / 動物化石

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Through repeated excavations at Shitsukari-Abe cave in Aomori Prefecture, we were able to obtain many Pleistocene mammal fossils that were originated from the prey of Paleolithic human hunters. Most of them were rabbits' teeth, and morphological analysis indicated a strong possibility they came from Japanese hares (Lepus brachyurus). Other fossils unearthed in recesses of the cave were identified as teeth of brown bears (Ursus arctos) and moose (Alces alces) [both extinct in this region]. The growth rings of the roots of these teeth were examined using micro-CT. The results of this analysis indicated the brown bear canine tooth were from a bear that had died in the autumn of its second year. This research also produced a rich body of evidence on both of the following topics: The Pleistocene fauna in the northern tip of Honshu, just to the south of the zoographical boundary known as the Blakiston Line and the hunting activities of the Paleolithic humans who lived in the same region.

Free Research Field

考古学