アイヌの生態と本邦先史学の問題

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書誌事項

タイトル別名
  • Ecology of the Ai nu and Problems in Prehistory in Japan
  • アイヌ ノ セイタイ ト ホンポウ センシガク ノ モンダイ

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抄録

It has been a common knowledge among Japanese prehistorians that the distribution of "Jomon" sites is concentrated in the northeastern half of Japan and is very thin in the southwestern part. The difference gives us a very significant question which requires ecological analyses and interpretations.<br>There have been some speculations on the situation : someones tend to attribute the difference to the difference in population density and the others to the difference in the amount of food available. The food in question is the dog-salmon, Oncorhynchus keta.<br>The species of the salmon occurs abundantly in Hokkaido where it had been one of the Ainus' staple foods down to modern times. In the mainland of Japan it occurs in the northeastern part in much smaller quantities. The distribution of the salmon in prehistoric Japan is unknown and the discoveries of salmon bones in prehistoric sites in Japan are very rare. It is worth notice that even shell-mounds have not yielded any significant amount of the bones.<br>The absence or rarity of salmon bones in the prehistoric sites, however, may not necessarily mean the absence or economical insignificance of salmon fishing among the people, because bones are rarely preserved in ordinary open stations in Japan and the so-called shell-mounds distributed along the sea coasts are special sites the ecological functions of which are still unknown.<br>In spite of its fundamental importance no systematic and positive pursuit has been made to solve the question. One main reason for that seems to be lack of keys for analyses and comparisons. The writer presents an ecological approach to study the problem. He hopes it may throw some light even on other aspects of ecology of the Jomon people.<br>The Ainu of Hokkaido are salmon eaters. The salmon and the deer are their staple foods. The system of their subsistence activities has its spatio-temporal structure which is closely correlated with that of surrounding biotic communities. The distribution of their settlements and gathering huts is the function of the ecological factors. Among others dog salmon fishing is obviously the most important factor.<br>These points are shown in the paragraphs with the following headings : Importance of salmon (O. keta & O. masou) fishing among the Ainu ; Fishingsites and fishing techniques of the Ainu; Size of and distance between Ainu settlements; Distribution pattern of Ainu settlements; Ecological zones of the Ainu ; Radial exploitation of their ecological zones and fishing and hunting huts; Ainu huts for sea fishing and their coastal settlements.<br>If the Jomon people depended regularly upon the salmon and the salmon played some significant role in their food economy the distribution of various sites will reflect the situations. A brief analysis from this point of view of the prehistoric sites in a region of middle Japan shows certain possibilities of the approach revealing various problems concerning ecology of the Jomon people. The present target is to examine whether there is any difference in the distribution pattern between river valleys in northeastern Japan and those in southwestern Japan. To make the analysis we need more information and data on the distribution of prehistoric sites in each river valley and on the size and composition of them.

収録刊行物

  • 人類學雜誌

    人類學雜誌 72 (1), 9-23, 1964

    一般社団法人　日本人類学会

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