Pages: 117-136

The initial peopling of the Japanese Archipelago by Homo sapiens took place during the Late Palaeolithic, not earlier than 38—35 000 years BP. Very specific lithic tool-kit (trapezoids, tanged points and ground axes) is characteristic of the earliest period, while the blade flaking technologies appeared starting from 32—30 000 years BP, and microblade ones about 20 000 BP. The important peculiarity of the Late Palaeolithic on the Japanese Islands is a very early appearance of distinct local traditions due to the variability of climatic and landscape conditions and the availability of diverse raw materials for tool production. The analysis of a wide range of the Upper Palaeolithic industries of North Asia, Central Asia, and the Far East (40—15 000 years BP) leads to a conclusion that the Japanese archipelago must have been settled from the territory of the Korean Peninsula, which casts doubt on the Northern route hypothesis.

Keywords: North Asia, Central Asia, Far East, Late Palaeolithic, stone industries, local peculiarities

Information about authors:

Sergey Gladyshev (Novosibirsk, Russian Federation). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Akademik Lavrentiev Ave., 17, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russian Federation.
E-mail: [email protected]
Andrey Tabarev (Novosibirsk, Russian Federation). Doctor of Historical Sciences. Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Akademik Lavrentiev Ave., 17, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russian Federation. 
E-mail: [email protected]