Rebun Island, Japan

The Hamanaka 2 site is a multi-component shell midden in Funadomari Bay on Rebun Island, northern Japan. A wide array of materials have been recovered from the site including ceramic, lithic, metal, and faunal remains, ranging in age from the Late Jomon through Okhotsk periods (~1500 BC - AD 1000). Human skeletal and dental remains have also been recovered at this site, although we cannot promise that more will be encountered this season. In summer 2014, the goal will be to continue the excavation of trenches started in previous seasons to help clarify the nature of spatial variation across the site, reach older cultural layers, and expand the excavations in new directions.

ANTHR 396: Archaeological Field Methods is designed to build student practical skills in archaeological field techniques, including: surveying, excavation, documentation, photography, conservation, and analysis. The bulk of the students' time in Japan will be spent engaged in the hands-on practice of data collection through excavation and students will be responsible for recording their observations in drawings, photographs, and written notes. Both formal and informal instruction in field methods will be provided on an ongoing basis.

Students will be evaluated both on their performance with regards to surveying, excavation, and lab work, as well as their written work (in the form of a daily field journal and a short written assignment).

The field school will begin with a short orientation in Sapporo, where students will be introduced to Japanese archaeology, the prehistory and history of Rebun Island, as well as the types of artifacts and ecofacts they can expect to encounter on site.

Please see the project website for more details: http://bhap.artsrn.ualberta.ca/fieldwork-2014

Baikal-Hokkaido Archaeology Project