Jomon pottery and maize weevils, Sitophilus zeamais, in Japan. (December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Obata, Hiroki; Miyaura, Mai; Nakano, Kazuhiro
• Is Part Of: Journal of archaeological science. Volume 34:Part A(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-12
• Subjects: Jomon period -- Potsherd -- Maize weevil -- Impression method -- X-ray CT; Archaeology -- Periodicals; Archaeology -- Research -- Periodicals; 930.1
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2020.102599
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2352-409X

Abstract

Highlights: Maize weevil impressions were detected at a Jomon Period site in Kyushu. One potsherd contains impressions of about 28 adult maize weevils. The sample has the highest density of maize weevils mixed in clay across Japan. The maize weevils might have been intentionally introduced into the pottery clay. Effective ways to search for and identify all impressions using X-rays were shown. Abstract: Recent research in Japan using the 'impression method' has revealed Jomon vessels containing a large number of plant seed impressions in the clay, including from soybean and adzuki bean seeds. Additional research has been published about a vessel with a large number of maize weevils ( Sitophilus zeamais ). Although there were differences in the seeds and insects found in the clay, it is thought they resulted from intentional mixing with the hope of increasing cultivated plant fertility. This could mean that the cultivated plants had a significant meaning as a staple food and as spiritual objects during the Jomon period. These cultural practices indirectly prove that the Jomon people were not just hunter-gatherers, but also hunter-cultivators. However, there is strong opposition to this intentional mixing theory and the existence of plant cultivation during the Jomon period. Due to the small number of recoveries of pottery with a large number of seeds and insects from the Jomon sites, researchers have counter-argued that the introduction of these seeds and insects into the clay was coincidental. In response, it has been suggested that few discoveries have been made due to fragmentation of the pottery into small sherds, which makes it difficult to observe seeds and insects or to search for unexposed cavities in the pottery fabric. To solve this problem, X-ray equipment can be used to detect not only seed and insect impressions on the pottery surface, but also the unexposed cavities in the pottery fabric. The mechanism for introducing the seeds and insects into the pottery was clarified through the weevil-rich pottery discovered by the authors at the Late Jomon site in Miyazaki prefecture. The weevils seem to be consciously incorporated into pottery clay along with other plant residues, especially acorn shells. However, it is not known whether the potter put the weevil into the pottery while praying about the abundant fertility of the acorn. Still, this potsherd can be seen as evidence that the weevil at that time was closely related to the storage of acorns. With the exception of these Jomon period cases, there are almost no excavated Sitophilus spp. beetles in East Asia, and their formation process as a modern rice pest is still unclear. To solve these problems, we recommend searching for insect fossils in pottery as in this study.