Abstract
In this report, the author studied legume seeds found as impressions in Jomon potsherds and charred remains from Jomon sites in the Kansai region of western Japan and inspected the distribution of legume seeds in Japan. The author found legume seed impressions on late and final Jomon pottery, including a Glycine seed of “large oval soybean type” that is considered as a type indicating domestication. The data of legume seeds found as impressions on Jomon potsherds and charred remains so far reported show that the number of legume seeds increased during the late Jomon period and that the size of Vigna subgen. Ceratotropis seeds increased in later periods. These facts indicated the possibility that legume seeds (or methods of legume use) came to the Kansai region at least in the late Jomon period. However, there was no concomitant increase in the number of stone hoes used for gathering or managing plants in the late to final Jomon periods in the Kansai region, suggesting that the use of legume seeds didn’t bring a drastic change to the systems of plant usage in the Kansai region.
