Exploring harvesting tools of the Yayoi Culture : Use-wear analysis of stone tools from the Daikoji-shinjoato and the Izawa (1) sites, Aomori, Northern Japan

DOI HANDLE Web Site Open Access

Bibliographic Information

Other Title
  • 弥生収穫具の探索 : 平川市大光寺新城跡、 井沢(1) 遺跡出土剥片石器の使用痕分析
  • 弥生収穫具の探索 : 平川市大光寺新城跡、井沢(1)遺跡出土剥方石器の使用痕分析
  • ヤヨイ シュウカクグ ノ タンサク : ヒラカワシダイヒカリジ シン シロアト 、 イサワ(1)イセキ シュツドハクカタ セッキ ノ シヨウコン ブンセキ

Search this article

Description

Numerous archaeological records regarding paddy rice farming have been discovered in the early agrarian society knowns as the Yayoi Culture (the 4th century BCE - the 3rd century CE) in Northeastern Honshu. However, the harvesting tools of this period are poorly understood in the region. Although functional analyses of stone tools have suggested that flakes and retouched flakes were used for harvesting crops, the number of these materials is minimal, indicating that an issue in harvesting tools of the Yayoi Culture in this region is still open to discussion. This study aims to discover harvesting tools through the lithic use-wear analysis (high-power approach) of 74 chipped stone tools from the Daikoji-shinjoato and the Izawa (1) sites. We found the use-wear polish regarding plant processing on eight notched knives and three side scrapers, and the orientation of striations indicates that they were used for cutting grass plants, including cultigens. The notched knife has not claimed attention as a harvesting tool in this region because this is a representative tool class of the Jomon hunter-gatherer society. However, this study suggests that this tool persisted in the Early and Middle Yayoi Culture and was used for harvesting crops after the introduction of agriculture.

Journal

Keywords

Details 詳細情報について

Report a problem

Back to top