The Temporal Correspondences between the Archaeological Chronology and Environmental Changes from 11,500 to 2,800 cal BP on the Kanto Plain, Eastern Japan

Abstract

Intensive research into the radiocarbon dating of the Jomon pottery chronologies, especially on the Kanto Plain in central Japan, has made it possible to examine the temporal correspondences between environmental changes and human activities during the Holocene, from ca. 11,500 to 2,800 cal BP. This paper sets out five environmental events (IV to VIII, dated as 11,500, 8,400, 5,900, 4,500, 3,000 cal BP) and five environmental stages (Stage IV to Stage VIII) based on comparisons between environmental events detected on the Kanto Plain and the high-resolution environmental reconstructions reported in recent studies. Compiled radiocarbon dates of pottery-type chronologies from Earliest to Latest Jomon were calibrated to compare with these environmental events and stages. The results show that Stage IV (ca. 11,500-8,400 cal BP) correlates with pottery types from the early Yoriitomon pottery group to the Nojima type, Stage V (ca. 8,400-5,900 cal BP) with types from the Ugashimadai type to the Moroiso-a type, Stage VI (ca. 5,900-4,500 cal BP) with types from the Moroiso-b type to the Kasori-E4 type, Stage VII (ca. 4,500-2,800 cal BP) with types from the Shomyoji-1 type to the Angyo-3c type, and Stage VIII (ca. 2,800 cal BP and younger) with the Angyo-3d type and subsequent types. Now it is necessary to study and develop more accurate pictures of human adaptations to the environmental changes based on more detailed environment-culture correlations.