Study on Environmental Archaeology based on Molluscs in the Ryukyu Islands

本项目“基于琉球群岛软体动物的环境考古研究”，对从贝壳丘中发掘的部分物种的种类组成、丰度和大小进行了分析。主要目的如下：1)考古遗址周围自然环境的重建；2)琉球群岛中部水稻种植的起始年代；3)贝壳制品的贝壳采集地点。结果如下：1)利用亚热带沙丘上的小蜗牛成功重建了考古遗址周围的自然环境；2)根据这一时期考古遗址中发现的水田生活淡水蜗牛Chipangopaludina chinensis laeta推测琉球群岛中部水稻种植的开始年龄在古苏古时代；3)贝壳制品的贝壳采集地点与考古遗址的地理环境有关。

In the present project, "Study on Environmental Archaeology based on Molluscs in the Ryukyu Islands", some analysis, such as species compositions, abundance and size of some species, which are excavated from the shell middens were conducted. Main purpose are as follows ; 1) re-construction of natural environments around the archaeological site, 2) starting age of paddy cultivation in the central Ryukyu Islands, and 3) collecting site of shells for shell artifact.These results are as follows ; 1) re-constructions of natural environments around the archaeological site ware successful on minute land snails in the subtropical sandy dune, 2) starting age of paddy cultivation in the central Ryukyu Islands will suspect at Gusuku era based on paddy field inhabiting fresh water snail, Chipangopaludina chinensis laeta, are found from archaeological site at this period, and 3) collecting sites of shells for shell artifact relate to geographical situations of archaeological sites.