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Simon Kainer
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Tristan Hughes
Tristan Hughes：本期节目探讨日本史前史，从早期人类到达日本列岛到持续一万多年的绳文文化，涵盖了数万年的历史。绳文文化遗迹丰富，展现了其独特的狩猎采集生活方式，包括建造石圈、采集野生植物和制作精美的陶器等。
Simon Kainer：日本考古学研究已有150年历史，始于一位美国动物学家在东京大学的工作。尽管日本在江户时代就已发现古代文物，但直到莫尔斯的工作才奠定了日本考古学研究的科学基础。日本列岛最早的人类活动可以追溯到约5万年前，与亚洲大陆相比相对较晚。北海道的尻别川流域是重要的黑曜岩矿区，其出土的黑曜岩工具被用于旧石器时代晚期到绳文时代。日本约1.6万年前就出现了陶器，这比欧洲早得多，且与新石器时代农业和定居村落的关系并不紧密。通过对日本考古发现的遗骸进行DNA分析，可以进一步了解早期日本居民的生活方式和迁徙历史。晚更新世到绳文时代，日本列岛的人口可能保持相对连续性，与不列颠群岛的情况不同。关于早期人类到达日本列岛的时间，目前的研究证据表明相对较晚，但可能还有待进一步考古发现。
Simon Kainer：绳文时代以其独特的绳纹陶器而得名，持续时间长达数千年。绳文时代持续时间之长，在全新世时期是全球罕见的。绳文人以广泛的觅食活动为生，对当地资源有着深入的了解。“狩猎采集者”这一概念存在局限性，难以准确描述绳文人的生活方式，因为他们并非单纯的狩猎采集者。绳文时代存在对某些野生资源的强化利用，例如漆树和坚果，以及对狗和野猪的驯化。绳文时期出现了早期村落聚居点，但其定居性程度和社会复杂性仍有待进一步研究。绳文时期的聚落类型多样，从小型建筑群到大型定居点，规模差异很大。绳文遗址中的“垃圾堆”并非简单的废弃物堆积，而是经过一定处理和规划的区域。日本绳文时代也存在类似欧洲史前石圈的环状石结构，其功能可能与墓葬有关。绳文时期的陶器种类繁多，用途包括炊具、盛具、葬具和装饰品等。“土偶”是绳文时代独特的陶制人形雕塑，其功能和象征意义尚待进一步研究。公元前一千年左右，水稻农业传入日本，标志着绳文时代的结束。绳文文化被视为一种与现代日本社会截然不同的生活方式，更贴近自然，并对后世日本文化产生了一定的影响。
Deep Dive
Why did the first humans arrive in the Japanese archipelago relatively late compared to other parts of East Asia?
Sea levels were lower, creating land bridges that may have submerged earlier evidence.
Why did the Jomon period last for such a long time?
It spans from the start of ceramic container making until the arrival of rice farming.
Why did the Jomon people not adopt farming despite knowing about it?
They were master foragers with a deep awareness of natural resources and may have resisted farming.
Why are the Japanese stone circles called 'stonisakaru'?
It's a katakana rendering of 'stone circle,' a foreign loan word.
Why are the Dogu figurines considered significant in Japanese culture?
They may have had considerable powers that impacted the lives of those who made and used them.
Why did the Jomon period end?
Wet rice farming arrived from the East Asian continent, leading to a shift in lifestyle.
The episode begins with an exploration of the earliest archaeological discoveries in Japan, focusing on the work of Edward Sylvester Morse and the first scientific excavations in the late 19th century.
- Edward Sylvester Morse conducted the first Western-style scientific excavations in Japan in the late 1870s.
- Morse's work laid the foundations for 150 years of archaeological investigation in Japan.
- Prehistoric artifacts were found in urban areas, indicating a rich archaeological record.
Shownotes Transcript