Refuse patterning and behavioral analysis in a pinniped hunting camp in the Late Jomon Period: A case study in layer V at the Hamanaka 2 site, Rebun Island, Hokkaido, Japan

During the Dobayashi New Phase (ca. 1450 cal BC–1300 cal BC), the Jomon maritime hunter–gatherers established pinniped hunting camps at the Hamanaka 2 site on Rebun Island, Hokkaido, Japan. They used the camps for animal processing and possibly cooking meat or processing fat using pottery vessels. Concentrations of conjoinable pottery around hearth features reveal that hearths were centers of activity. Analysis of conjoinable pottery within the excavated areas also indicates that artifacts were moved for the purposes of maintenance and cleaning of the hearths and activity areas.