Refitted Material and Consideration of Lithic Reduction Sequence Among the Microblade Assemblages: a View from the Title Okushirataki-1 Site, Hokkaido, Northern Japan
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Refitted material and consideration of lithic reduction sequence among the microblade assemblages: a view from the Title Okushirataki-1 site, Hokkaido, Northern Japan Author(s) TAKAKURA, Jun Citation Asian Perspectives, 49(2), 332-347 Issue Date 2011 Doc URL http://hdl.handle.net/2115/52735 Type article File Information Takakura AP49-2.pdf Instructions for use Hokkaido University Collection of Scholarly and Academic Papers : HUSCAP Refitted Material and Consideration of Lithic Reduction Sequence among the Microblade Assemblages: A View from the Okushirataki-1 Site, Hokkaido, Northern Japan JUN TAkAkURA introduction It is widely acknowledged that microblade technology appeared at the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM; around 20,000 b.p.) and lasted until the terminal Pleis- tocene (around 12,000 b.p.) in the Japanese Islands. Through general surveys and a large number of excavations in most areas of Japan, microblade assemblages that con- tain a lot of temporally diagnostic lithic artifacts have been discovered at more than 1700 sites (Sato and Tsutsumi 2007). Such an abundant archaeological record may provide important insights into forager behaviors in the Japanese Islands during the late Upper Palaeolithic. Many studies of microblade assemblages in Japan have undoubtedly seen the clas- sification of specific core types and sequences of microblade core reduction as one of their major goals. The sequences of microblade core reduction defined by the form of microblade core blank and preparation of microblade core are generally called gihō. Such techno-typological approaches were pioneered by M. Yoshizaki (1961), who identified the Yubetsu gihō in Hokkaido, northern Japan, along with the basic defini- tion of core reduction sequence. The techno-typological approach is based on the analysis of the morphological attributes reflected in the reduction sequences from core blanks to flaked tools, in contrast to the morpho-typological approach, which is merely based on the morphological attributes of artifacts (Chen 2007; Hayashi 1968). After the identification of Yubetsu gihō, the type and gihō concepts have been used for describing and naming a number of different kinds of microblade reduction se- quences as archaeological entities (Fig. 1) (e.g., Tsurumaru 1979). Quite soon after its development, application of such concepts for describing technological characteristics had spread from Japan to adjacent regions (e.g., Andrefsky 1987; Chen 2007; Doel- man 2008; Lu 1998; Seong 1998; Tang and Gai 1986). Until now, the classification of microblade core types and the gihō reconstructions have directed Japanese archaeolo- gists toward a focus on the techno-typological description, and provided a “chrono- Jun Takakura is an Assistant Professor at the Archaeological Research Center, Hokkaido University, Japan. Asian Perspectives, Vol. 49, No. 2 © 2011 by the University of Hawai‘i Press. takakura . refitted material & lithic reduction sequence 333 Fig. 1. Reconstructed gihō (1–4: modified from Tsurumaru 1979; 5–7: Nakazawa et al. 2005). 1: Yu- betsu; 2: Togeshita; 3: Oshorokko; 4: Rankoshi; 5: Horoka; 6: Hirosato; 7: Oketo. cultural” framework for the studies of microblade assemblages. Accordingly, it has allowed them to address significant issues in cultural-historical research. However, in recent years, there has been increasing attention to criticisms concern- ing the ability of traditional morphological typologies and classification of gihō to convey meaningful interpretations for specific assemblages and to address issues that are not strictly chronological. These traditional approaches tend to hide variation 334 asian perspectives . 49(2) . fall 2010 within assemblages and similarities between techno-typologically “different” assem- blages due to their “normative” essence (Bleed 2001, 2002a). In fact, as some re- searchers emphasized, the previous studies actually overlooked the possibility that lithic reduction sequences varied according to lithic raw material availability, abun- dance, shape, and quality (e.g., kimura 1992; Nakazawa et al. 2005; Shiba 2007; Takakura 2007a, 2007b). Therefore, it is important that lithic reduction sequences be examined as a process reflecting the manner in which humans made behavioral hoicesc and decisions within their daily lives, which were in turn often associated with envi- ronmental constraints and resource exploitation strategies. This suggests that we need to pay attention to situational variability in forager behaviors that shape choices in technological systems. That is, researchers should regard lithic reduction sequences as a series of human reactions to situations they face in their environments and societies. To be sure, this reorientation toward forager behavior triggered a reconsideration of the objectives and methods in archaeological studies of lithic reduction sequences. Needless to say, refitting is an important analytical tool in lithic technological s tudies because the process of reduction itself can be clearly observed. It is apparent that refitting as well as experimental replication has performed an important role in the chaîne opératoire approach for Palaeolithic research (e.g., Aubry et al. 2008; Au- douze 1999; Bar-Yosef and Van Peer 2009; karlin et al. 1993; Pelegrin 2003, 2006; Takakura 2007a). Perhaps information gained from the lithic refitted materials can not only offer detailed descriptions of lithic life histories, but also increase our under- standing of the technological choices and decisions made by foragers, who create situationally variable assemblages characterized by differences in the size and kind of lithic raw materials or core blanks, as a function of changing environmental and cul- tural factors. Fortunately, refitting efforts have been a persistent methodology at many Palaeolithic sites in Japan. Abundant refitted materials, providing a wealth of informa- tion on the reduction sequences of microblade assemblages, have been recovered and reported on in most areas of Japan. These materials include microblade cores fitted with many microblades, spalls for core preparation, blades, and waste flakes. Some of the refitted materials allow us to surmise the morphological features of gravel and lithic debris used as original raw material. Such evidence is extremely valuable for e xamining the life histories, from raw materials to removal of microblades, and may contribute significantly to our understanding of technological variability of micro- blade reduction sequences, through the identification of operations by ancient stone- workers. It is clear that we need to consider the rich information gained from the refitted materials of the microblade assemblages with regard to how ancient stoneworkers operated and organized their actions along with technological choices and decisions. To emphasize the situationally shifting behavioral choices and the forager decision making in the studies of the refitted materials may lead in productive directions be- cause such an approach can provide important insights into the processes responsible for generating technological diversity. In order to explore the significance of refitted materials in the studies of lithic re- duction sequences, this article analyzes refitted materials obtained from the micro- blade assemblage at the Okushirataki-1 site, Hokkaido, northern Japan. Through diligent and consistent refitting efforts, the assemblage has yielded significant informa- tion concerning the process of knapping of blades, microblades, and the abundant flakes at the site. The main purpose of this article is to reconstruct the lithic reduction takakura . refitted material & lithic reduction sequence 335 Fig. 2. Location of the Okushirataki-1 site. sequence of this assemblage, and to assess the relationship between the technological variability of lithic reduction sequences and the morphological features of lithic raw materials, based on the numerous refitted materials. refitted materials from the okushirataki-1 site The Okushirataki-1 site is an open site located in the Yubetsu River basin, eastern Hokkaido, northern Japan (Fig. 2). The Okushirataki-1 site was excavated in 1997– 1998 by the Hokkaido Buried Cultural Property Center (Naganuma et al. 2002). The area of excavation covers approximately 7300 m2. The Okushirataki-1 site is located nearby a huge outcrop of obsidian that is of good quality, with few interior inclusions. Since the source of obsidian was easily accessible for inhabitants at the Okushirataki-1 site, a large amount of lithic production was done at this site. It is clear that most of the lithic artifacts belong to the late Upper Palaeolithic (20,000 –12,000 b.p.) from the techno-typological point of view. Although the spatial distribution of lithic artifacts within the site was probably modified by natural transformation processes, such as solifluction, numerous spatially separated concentrations of lithic artifacts can actually 336 asian perspectives . 49(2) . fall 2010 Fig. 3. Excavation area and distribution of lithic artifacts from the Okushirataki-1 site (Naganuma et al. 2002). be observed. The Paleolithic material within this site has been segregated into four groups techno-typologically. In this paper, I focus on analysis of lithic material in one of these groups: the assemblage recovered from the lithic concentration No. 7-10 (Fig. 3). The microblade cores of this group are mainly characterized by a conical form with a multifaceted platform, and are referred to type as “Momijiyama” (Naganuma et al. 2002).