Where did they go fishing? A multi-scalar spatial analysis of Jomon fishing activities in the Tokyo-Yokohama district,east Japan

In: Posluschny, A. ; Lambers, K. ; Herzog, I. (Hrsgg.): Layers of Perception. Proceedings of the 35th International Conference on Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology (CAA), Berlin, 2.-6. April, 2007 (Koll. Vor- u. Frühgesch. 10). Bonn 2008, pp. 353-359

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Abstract

This paper examines the spatial patterns of prehistoric net fishing carried out by the Jomon hunter-gatherers in Japan. It is a case study of a multi-scalar approach using a Geographical Information System (GIS) analyzing a large archaeological dataset. In the Tokyo-Yokohama district (1500 km2 in area) of East Japan, 235 out of approximately 4000 Jomon sites have yielded a total of 3800 stone/clay sinkers, as a primary evidence of net fishing. GIS is employed for cataloguing this massive dataset and illustrating a series of sinker distribution maps in different scales – household (micro), settlement/occupation (semimicro), site-catchment (semi-macro), and regional (macro) levels. A holistic interpretation of the archaeological patterns obtained from the analytical maps provides a better understanding of the diachronic changes, local variations, and possible venues of Jomon net fishing activities.