CULTURAL SEQUENCES IN HOKKAIDO MacCORD 487 



Low Level Radiation Laboratory of the U.S. Geological Survey Ra- 

 diocarbon Laboratory, and yielded an age of 3950 ±200 years (W-372). 

 A comparison of the distribution of stone implements by depth 

 shows no detectable differences in shape, size, or material used. Their 

 types and distribution by depth are shown in table 3. They indicate 

 an intense utilization of the locally available flints as well as obsidian 

 brought from the valley of the Tokachi River, 100 miles to the east. 

 Sandstone and pumice were used for abrasives, and several varieties 

 of basaltic stones were employed in the manufacture of celts and 

 chisels. 



Table 3. — Stone implements found at various depths in the Taniguchi site. 



Layers 



The celts found are all flattish and are either rectangular or oval in 

 cross-section. All are small, 7 to 15 centimeters long and 5 to 8 

 centimeters wide. A few celt "blanks" show that chipping usually 

 preceded grinding in their manufacture. The chisels might bo con- 

 sidered miniature celts, as their shape and materials are identical. 

 The celts illustrated in plate 3a-d are typical. 



Projectile points (plate id-4) arc small, 18 to 60 millimeters in length, 

 and were probably used to tip arrows. All are made of obsidian. 

 The predominant shape has a long, pointed tang, sometimes longer 

 than the main portion of the point. 



Knives (plate Se-h) and scrapers (plate Aa-c) were probably used 

 interchangeably and are the most common tool at the site. Five of 

 the knives are tanged, of which three are illustrated in plate Zj-h. 

 Four of the flake scrapers seem to have been deliberately formed from 

 large flakes (plate Aa-c), but the remainder are fortuitous flakes and 

 spalls that show only slight secondary chipping. On a few is chipped 

 a pointed tip for use as a graver or burin. 



The abrasives are irregular lumps of pumice or sandstone, though 

 a few are worn through use into thin slabs. Two of the pumice 



