Permalink : http://hdl.handle.net/2115/38402

Analyzing the archaeological data from Kafukai-5 site in Rebun Isl. etc., the author pointed out that the one group of the Okhotsk people first appeared from the "Core Area" southwestern coast of Sakhalin and worked there every year mainly during summer season living in temporary huts. For the next step, intending to extend the work term into the cold season, the group constructed simple pit houses in Kafukai-5. Living in these simple pit houses people could work in any season, if necessary even in winter, but generally they returnd to their home settlements in southern Sakhalin after working. Fish bones of Pleurogrammus azonus Jordan et Metz, Gadus macrocephalus Tilesius and Clupea pallasii Valenciennes found in small scale cultural layers No. VI and V in Kafukai-1 site, about 500m north of Kafukai-5, shows that people started winter fishing activity there. Remains of dogs and pigs in the culturallayers No. V might mean these animals were fed by fish during the winter season. Another group in Sakhalin found their way to Teshio or even to Okushiri Isl., the Southern most limit of their distribution, while Nemuro was the Eastern limit of their distribution in this stage. Near the end of early stage, the Okhotsk people in Sakhalin moved their base from Kafukai 5site to Kafukai 1 site and established new settlement, building premanent pit house No. 2. Their main occupations were fishing and sea mammal hunting from autumn to spring season. Now they could keep many dogs and pigs by feeding them fish during the winter. To sum up, in the early stage of the Okhotsk culture, people started to use new territory as a summer camp by constructing and living in the temporary hut. Next they kept and used the site as an all year round camp with simple pit house. Finally people established a settlement with permanent pit houses made of massive log pillars.