Their culture did not survive, and very little is known about them today. Miyazaki used his creative freedom and made a clan of Emishi survive in a hidden village in the Northern land. Some articles mention that Ashitaka is an Ainu. In the Tatara iron making process, iron sands and charcoal are put in a furnace made of clay, and burned for several days. Then, the furnace is taken down to take an iron ingot out.
Iron signifies human civilization.
Agriculture made it possible to support a higher population, and a higher population means more forest being cut down. It is a fictional animal Miyazaki created, based on a yak. Ando is one of the young rising stars at Ghibli. Sadly, he passed away on January 21st, 1998.