Preliminary report on the summary of the excavation research of the Notoro Cape West Coast Site, Abashiri, Hokkaido

Abstract

Hokkaido Museum of Northern Peoples intend to clarify the relations to Okhotsk Culture and Satsumon Culture on the beginning of establishment. We are surveying Notoro Cape West Coast site of Okhotsk Culture since 2005. In this main report, a summary of the excavation research in our 2005, 2006 field seasons is reported. At this site, we excavated about 50 m2 in the two field seasons. We found 1 house pit in our excavation area, some 1. 5 m in depth. Judging from some shards of the pottery founded on the floor, this house seems to belong to early part of the Okhotsk Culture. Althauyh the ground plan of this house is not clear as yet, probably hexagonal in plan. On the floor, we found many carbonized logs, which might be have been used for materials of wall structure. Furthermore, judging from the condition of wall side, this house might be reconstructed.