484 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Takao, Yukie Kudo, Hichiro Ishibashi, and Isamu Shintani — all of 

 Iwamizawa, Hokkaido. The area to be dug was staked in units of 

 1 square meter, and each square was dug to hardpan in units of 

 12K centimeters (5 inches). 



All material found in each layer and square was kept separate 

 pending washing, sorting, and classifying. Hardpan under the black 

 topsoil was a yellowish-brown sand, and any disturbances due to pits 

 and postmolds were easily detected. Each square was carefully 

 searched for such disturbances, and the few found were plotted on 

 a sketch map of the excavation. Hardpan was usually reached at a 

 depth of 80 centimeters, though two of the three pits reached depths 

 of 130 centimeters. Pit outlines could not be discerned in the black 

 topsoil, and we first became aware of the pits when hardpan was 

 reached. Since the cultural material obtained in the excavation was 

 practically uniform throughout, this failure to detect pit outlines at a 

 higher level is not serious. 



At two places (squares 15 and 63) we found the remains of recent 

 burials of infants. No bones remained, but the decayed wood and 

 the nails, cleats, and handles of the coffins were identifiable. In one 

 grave we found a mass of carbonized straw, as if this material had 

 been used for packing the coffin. Also found in each grave were 

 broken china dishes that date back to about 1900 A.D. Neither 



legend: 



LIMITS OP ANCIENT 



1222 - EXCAVATION 



SITE (CENTQe OF CIRCLE). 



■■I^H - eUlLOlMQS. 



DANNAGURO /- TRAVEL ROAD 



BARATO I KM. 



kttibttth 



lO 5 © 



S<SALE 



Figure 2. — Ground plan of the Taniguchi Site, Ishikari Province, Hokkaido. 



