[H-QR15] Diachronic dynamics of human-environment interactions

[HQR15-10] Long-time sastainability of prehistric subsistence of Jomon culture.

*Minoru YONEDA¹, Takashi NARA², Junmei SAWADA² (1.The University Museum, The University of Tokyo, 2.Niigata University of Health and Welfare)

Keywords:physical anthropology, prehistoric archaeology, isotope ecology

In order to reconstruct the variability of dietary habit among individuals and/or population of Jomon periods, we are investigating the carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios in human bones from the Tokyo Bay area and Aomori prefecture. One of the main goals is the comparison of Jomon dietary habits in the latter part of Jomon periods in light of diversity, variability and sustainability. Our testing hypothesis is that “the Middle Jomon started an intensive exploitation of plant resources and this strategy decreased the resilience of Jomon subsistence and 'a population collapse' was observed in the Late Jomon period”. Now we are working on the series of Middle, Late, and Final Jomon skeletons (ca. 6 to 3 thousand years BP) from the Tokyo Bay area and Aomori prefecture. The comparison between two Jomon sub-groups provide an insight into the response of Jomon hunter-gatherers against cooling and regression events in this periods and social change in time series as well by comparing diversitie of diet among social members.
We would liket discuss the change of carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios in both ecological and social points of view.