Archaeological Investigations of Cave Sites in the Shimokita Peninsula

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An intensive archaeological survey has been conducted at the cave named "Sikkariabe Cave" (Abe Site), one of the six caves we have discovered since 2002 near Shiriyazaki Cape in the Shimokita Peninsula in northern Japan. In the excavation which has been performed three times since 2002,the survey area was gradually expanded and now reached up to a depth of approximately 2.5 m in about 16 m^2 range. Excavation was extremely difficult because the deposit in the cave contained a large quantity of angular limestone gravels of various sizes. Therefore, we adopted a method to dissolve all the excavated soil in water and to take out remains using a sieve.From this survey, we found that the upper layers (1^<st> and 2^<nd> layers) densely contained earthenware, stone implements, human bones and various animal remains, which appear to be the remains of the mid-end to early latter Jomon Period. It brought us valuable findings concerning hunting, fishing and interment rituals during the Jomon Period.In the latest survey, stone implements and animal remains were newly found from the 4^<th> layer existing below the upper layers (1^<st> and 2^<nd> layers), and also animal remains were discovered from the 12^<th> layer existing far below. Several stone implements that were unearthed from the 4^<th> layer included awls made of stone flakes. It is considered that they may belong to the very early days of the Jomon Period or the Plaeolithic Age. In addition, stone flakes that were produced when making gravers or bifacial points-belonging to the Plaeolithic Age-were newly discovered among the stone implements buried in the upper layers (1^<st> and 2^<nd> layers). From these results, it can be said that the possibility has increased that the remains of the Plaeolithic Age, the remains of extinct animals and human bones can be found together in this cave, if the survey area is further expanded around the 4^<th> and 12^<th> layers in the future survey.