ARCHAEOLOGIA JAPONICA

Paleolithic
SUGIHARA Toshiyuki1
Overlooking research trends of ﬁscal 2015 Paleolithic study, results of projects to indicate
a new direction of Japanese Paleolithic study have been presented in the past few years.
For example, there are the results of the 4th Meeting of the Asian Paleolithic Association(APA) and a symposium published as Emergence and Diversity of Modern Human
Behavior in Paleolithic Asia (Texas A&M Univ. Press 2015), a project for “replacement”
of primitive humans with modern humans (“Replacement of Neanderthal by Modern
Humans: Testing Evolutionary Models of Learning,” study representative: AKAZAWATakeru), an excavation report by Center for Obsidian and Lithic Studies, Meiji University[Naganoken Chubukochi ni Okeru Senshi Jidai Jinruishi: Hiroppara Isekigun Daiichiji –Daisanji Chosa Hokokusho (Prehistoric Human History in Central Highlands of Nagano
Prefecture: 1st to 3rd Excavation Researches of Hiroppara Sites)], Japan Association for
Quaternary Research (“Special Issue: Natural Resource Environment and Humans in
the Pleistocene and Holocene” Daiyonki Kenkyu 54), and so on. Thus, the purpose androle of Japanese Paleolithic study is getting clear in cooperation with scientiﬁc ﬁelds ofQuaternary research regarding projects on the spread of modern humanity or the naturalenvironment and human adaptation.
Study on the origin of modern humanity in Japan is pursued from new viewpointsof paleoanthropology and genetics in the Nansei Islands where many fossilized humanbones were found. There is a thesis on fossilized human bones from Shirahosonetabaru
Cave site in Okinawa Prefecture that includes the excavated situation, as well as a reportof shell beads excavated from Sakitari Cave site where fossilized human bones wereexcavated. As data from the Nansei Islands are increasing, it is necessary to comparethem with Paleolithic culture of other parts of Japan, with an understanding on diversityof modern human adaptation. The study on the origin of Japanese Paleolithic culture isconducted and veriﬁed in various forms, combined with limited excavation of “oldeststone tools.”
There is high interest in stone tool material, and there are many studies including
chemical analysis [Center for Obsidian and Lithic Studies, Meiji University ed. Natural
1 c/o Kyushu Historical Museum, 5208–3 Mitsusawa, Ogori City, Fukuoka 838–0106, Japan

E-mail address not disclosed

JAPANESE JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY 5 (2017): 56–58© Japanese Archaeological Association

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JAPANESE JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY 5 (2017): 56–58

TRENDS ●●●●IN ARCHAEOLOGYTITLE ●●●●IN JAPANResource Environment and Humans No. 6, Japanese Paleolithic Research Association
ed. Dai 13kai Kenkyu Happyo Symposium Yokoshu (Proceedings for the 13th ResearchPresentation Symposium)]. In recent years, survey and analysis of obsidian quarries inWest Japan are active, such as obsidian quarries at Okidogo Island in Shimane Prefectureand Mt. Koshigatake in Saga Prefecture. In the future, accumulation and comparison ofarchaeological information is important in how to apply such study results to surroundingsites.
Another active topic is discussion focusing on environmental changes and behavioral
adaptation of humanity around the transitional period between the Paleolithic and theJomon period. Excavation reports on important microlith culture sites which becamea large turning point in the transitional period study were published in succession.
These were Yadegawa site in Nagano Prefecture (TSUTSUMI Takashi and Yatsugatake
Kyusekki Group Yadegawa), the 3rd excavation of Fukui Cave in Nagano Prefecture[Department of Archaeology, Tohoku University and Tohoku University Museum“Kyushu Chiho ni Okeru Doketsu Iseki no Kenkyu: Nagasakiken Fukui Doketsu
Daisanji Hakkutsu Chosa Hokokusho (Cave Site Study in Kyushu Region: Report of the3rd Excavation at Fukui Cave in Nagasaki Prefecture)” Bulletin of the Tohoku UniversityMuseum No. 14, 2015], and an excavation by Sasebo City due to the organization ofhistoric sites [Sasebo Kyoiku Iinkai Shiseki Fukui Dokutsu Hakkutsu Chosa Hokokusho(Excavation Report of Historic Site Fukui Cave)]. There was a featured article searchingfor the cultural signiﬁcance of the late glacial stage (15,000 to 11,700 years ago) on
human adaptation which showed much diversity after the period [SATO Hiroyki ed.
“Tokushu: Kyusekki—Jomon Ikoki wo Kangaeru (Featured Article: Thoughts on
Transitional Period between the Paleolithic to the Jomon Period)” Archaeology Quarterly132]. Such topics should be discussed again based on periodization of Incipient Jomonand study history, to locate it among issues of today’s Japanese archaeology.
Recent lithic study also shows diversity. Discussion was held at Iwajuku Museum on
manufacturing techniques of stone tools from archaeological viewpoints, lithic techniquestudy using chain operation, and the possibility of manufacturing experiment study[Sekki Seisakugijutsu: Seisaku Jikken to Kokogaku (Lithic Manufacturing Technique:Manufacturing Experiment and Archaeology, Iwajuku Museum)]. Other than these,
there were veriﬁcation on chemical surface change of use marks on obsidian tools under
sedimentary environments, a veriﬁcation experiment of “effective hydration speed” inobsidian hydrated layer method, and examination of running water effects in distributionof excavated stone tools and pebbles. Also, there was study on formation process of stone
blades and tools in central Japan and relation with regions of Eurasia, and comparative
study of ﬂake points between northwestern Kyushu and the Korean Peninsula.
A problem in today’s Japanese Paleolithic study is the decline of researchers who© Japanese Archaeological Association57

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ARCHAEOLOGIA

support regional study in interdisciplinary activities. Although this situation had been
predicted by recent changes in social conditions, it was accelerated more than expected
and shortage of staff in regional municipalities is quite serious. There is a need to discuss
ways for Japanese Paleolithic study to be rooted in the local community.

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