Archaeological investigation into eating habits from Satsumon to Ainu

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K03150
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Archaeology
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Fukasawa Yuriko 東北大学, 国際文化研究科, 教授 (90316282)
• Research Collaborator: Hosoya Aoi ; Nakamura Oki ; Craig Oliver
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 擦文土器 / 土器炭化付着物 / 食性 / オオムギ / 安定同位体分析 / カマド / アイヌ文化 / 魚骨

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The shift from Satsumon to Ainu culture was discussed based on the eating habit whether these two cultures are homogenic culture or not. Satsumon uses pottery as cooking pot on an oven, however Ainu uses hanging iron pot above a hearth. Analytical work such as GCMS has been carried out on lipids which were extracted from charred surface deposits adhering to the inside of the Satsumon pottery from the site in order to determine it structural and carbon isotope characteristics. This sample shows distinctive lipid profiles typically and degraded aquatic oils meeting the established criteria for their identification in archaeology. This evidence provides that marine foods were processed in this pottery. This result does not contradict the evidence that numerous burnt fishbones were found from the deposit of the oven in the dwelling pit. The carbonized cultivated seeds were also found on the deposit of floor investigated by the water flotation method.

Free Research Field

考古学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

考古学は物質の研究から文化を議論する学問であるが、実体としての担い手を見定めるのは難しい。その実体としての担い手について議論を可能にするのが北海道におけるアイヌ考古学の研究である。先行する擦文文化からアイヌ文化への文化的変容、文化的継承を多方面から検証、解明し、その実体を理解し説明する必要がある。本研究は食生活を切り口にして解明をおこなった。考古学の物質文化研究をシフトさせる学術的意義がある。現存するアイヌ民族の社会はすでに同化され、伝統的行事をとおしてしか追跡することができない。今、研究しなければならない社会的意義がある。