Species selection for wooden artefacts by prehistoric and early historic people in the Kanto Plain, central Japan

Abstract

Abstract Deciduous forests prevailed in the middle of the Kanto Plain, central Japan, from the Middle to Late Jomon Period, i.e. c. 4800-2100 bp . They consisted of deciduous broadleaved trees, such as Alnus, Quercus, Castanea, Aesculus, Acer and Fraxinus with some conifers, such as Torreya and Cephalotaxus . Prehistoric people utilizing Neolithic stone tools were already selecting trees for their use by this early period, and preferred Castanea for timber and stakes. In the Kofun Period (4th–6th centuries ad ) or in the Kodai (7th–12th centuries ad ), deciduous forests continued to prevail, but they were mainly composed of elements of secondary forests, such as Celtis, Quercus, Castanea and Morus . Men with iron tools preferred Quercus sect. Aegilops to Castanea for stakes or boards, and conifers came to be used as timber. As for hoes or shovels, deciduous Quercus were selected along with evergreen Quercus . Thus, people knew the property of each species and selected them for their use as early as the Jomon Period, and their preference changed drastically after the introduction of iron tools.