On the "Charcoal Analysis"

Abstract

For the purpose of elucidating the flora near the human occupation and revealing a part of human way of living in prehistoric time, the total of number 100 charcoal chips randomly collected from the Kuwagai-shimo Site (late Jomon) were analysed according to the same method as used for the identification of timber.Among 100 samples, 81 specimens were identified of their species (52 samples: 15 species), of their genus (27 samples: 4 genus). Frequencies of appearence were Cyclobalanopsis (20), Castanea crenata (13), Juglans mandshurica, and Zelkova serrata in this order.Under the assupmtion that these charcoals were the remains of firing by the prehistoric man, the comparison of the methods was made between the charcoal and the pollen analyses.Charcoal analysis might reflect the flora near the more close area of the habitate, and at the same time, reflect the selection of timber for the use by the human beings, as compared to the data obtained by the pollen analysis. In those days, Cyclobalanopsis and Castanea crenata were assumed to have frequently been used as firing lolls. The vegetation surrounding the site was the forest of warm climatic conditions and also the secondary forest was thought to have covered those sites.