Fieldwork Opportunity
May 11, 2011
Beginning in 2011, the University of Alberta (Canada) has launched a joint venture with Hokkaido University (Japan) and several other international partners called the Baikal-Hokkaido Archaeology Project. Fieldwork for this project focuses upon the archaeological sites on Rebun Island, Japan.
Before joining with Hokkaido University, the Baikal Archaeology project completed fieldwork, including several field schools, at several cemeteries and habitation sites along the coasts of Lake Baikal in Siberia, Russia. With this new collaboration, our 2011 fieldwork will include extensive excavations of the Late Jomon cemetery Funadomari and testing of Hamanaka, a multi-component shell midden site with graves ranging in age from the Jomon to the historical Ainu periods. Both sites are located along the north coast of Rebun Island.
While there will be no formal field school offered in 2011, we would like to extend an invitation to interested volunteers to assist in our excavations on Rebun Island. Participants will have the opportunity to learn the skills associated with the archaeological excavation of cemeteries including topographic survey, drawing, photography, ground penetrating radar, as well as the identification, removal and curation of human osteological material. In addition, students will experience the beautiful Japanese culture while living in the small fishing town of Funadomari. Though we are not offering course credit this year, we hope to organize formal field schools in future years.
Join us this summer and experience archaeology off the coast of Hokkaido, Japan.
Where is Rebun Island?
Rebun Island is off the northwestern coast of Hokkaido, Japan in the Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park. The island is well-known for over 300 species of alpine flowers and its hiking trails. The sites on Rebun date from the Ainu and Jomon periods. The site Funadomari is located in the town of the same name along the northern coast of Rebun Island. Hamanaka is located within two kilometres west of Funadomari.
