Impressions in pottery left by the remains of cereals have long been noticed by archaeologists, but new techniques including the use of scanning electron microscopes, cast replications, and CT scans have enabled new discoveries, including within the fabric of pottery. This book provides a case study of the use of impressions analysis techniques in Japanese archaeology, re-evaluating the development of plant cultivation in prehistoric Japan, especially during the Neolithic Jomon period. New insights include evidence of soybean cultivation, pest infestations in chestnut storage, and the cohabitation of cockroaches alongside humans. This handbook introduces these new methodologies to an international audience, opening up opportunities for pottery impressions analysis worldwide.

AUTHOR

Hiroki Obata is professor at the Department of Archaeology, Kumamoto University. He began his career as a cultural property specialist in Fukuoka City in 1983, and has been at Kumamoto University since 1995. In 2001 he received a PhD in Literature from Kyushu University.

REVIEW

‘The book is an essential contribution to archaeological methods worldwide, and new developments in Japanese archaeology.’ Associate Professor Maria Shinoto, Heidelberg University

‘This book allows us to follow, guided by a wealth of beautiful illustrations and photographs, the revolution in perspectives that have taken place over the last decade in Japanese prehistoric archaeology, and the significant role that pottery impression research has played in these changes.’ Dr Shinya Shoda, Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Japan