The impact enormous volcanic eruptions, tsunamis and the coldest period of the Little Ice Age had on the Ainu

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H03272
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Archaeology
• Research Institution: Hokkaido Museum
• Principal Investigator: Soeda Yuji 北海道博物館, 研究部, 学芸員 (40300842)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 青野 友哉 伊達市噴火湾文化研究所, その他部局等, 学芸員 (60620896)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 小氷期 / 噴火 / 津波 / アイヌ民族 / 伊達市

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We performed analysis regarding the excavation of the Kamuitapukopushita site in Date City, resulting in the findings (1) - (4) below.
(1) The Usu area was determined to have been hit by a pyroclastic surge during the Mt Usu eruption in 1663. (2) From the analysis results of plant opal, the amount of snow fall until around 1663 was possible less than previous years. It is assumed to be related to a weaker inflow of the Tsushima warm current. (3) Radiocarbon dating by AMS method was used on the bones of a sea otter. The calibrated age indicated cold minimum. This was possible that cold period extended the southern limit of habitat range southward. (4) Regarding the remains of a field from 1640 to 1663, remains which could possibly be farming trace, shell mound and postholes which may have been a part of Chise (Ainu traditional house) were discovered. This elucidate the living conditions of the Ainu in the Little ice age,large eruption.

Free Research Field

地学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

17世紀における小氷期の厳しい寒さや巨大噴火について新たなデータが得られ、アイヌ民族がそれらに対応して生活していた様子（寒さに強い作物の栽培や噴火後の土地利用の変化など）を学際的手法によって明らかにできた。17世紀の北海道の記録は断片的にしか残されていないため、1640～1663年に限定される遺構・遺物の分析からアイヌ民族の生活や自然災害を高分解能で明らかにできたことは重要である。また、伊達市によってカムイタプコプ下遺跡をモデルとした本格的な復元住居模型も作製、展示され、より多くの人々が研究成果に触れる場の提供にもつながった。さらに、自然災害に関するデータは今後の防災にも貢献できるものである。