SLS LOTE researcher Robyn Pelling will be giving a zoom lecture from Japan titled – palaeolandscapes of Aomori, North Japan: The evolving landscape of Lake Ogawara. Then talk will be on the 15th July, starting at 4:15 am UK.

Robyn’s work is part of the SLC Life on the Edge project which is focused on developing research into the submerged archaeological coastal landscape of the Late Palaeolithic (20,000 to 10,000 years ago (kya)). This period encompasses the end of the last glacial maximum, and the significant sea level rise that followed. There are several key aims, essentially however, the idea behind this project is to develop techniques and models to try to understand different aspects of Palaeolithic life.

This aspect of the LOTE project is focused on the region around Lake Ogawara which changed dramatically during the Late Palaeolithic. What is now a lake was once a river valley, with records placing the flooding of the valley at around 11kya (Narita 2010). The vast volcanic mountain range surrounding the lake also underwent an abrupt change: the Towada Volcano is now visible as a lake caldera, but it was once a towering mountain. The Towada caldera was formed after a series of significant eruptions culminating in a supervolcanic eruption at 15.7 kya.

Archaeological records place the Jomon culture in this region from as early as 15kya (https://jomon-japan.jp), but sites evidencing earlier inhabitants are well known throughout Japan . With such significant environmental forces continually changing this landscape, how did the people of the time react? How long did it take for people to return to the area? Were these choice made out of a practical or emotional response?

This talkis aimed at recreating the landscape to better aid our understanding of the environment. The intent is to address different perspectives and approaches that can help us move towards a more ‘humanly-conscious’ study of palaeolandscapes, which envisions these as vivid places rather than empty spaces.

This presentation aims to introduce this ongoing PhD project, highlight some of the recent activity undertaken, and further open the discussion around this topic.

■ ZOOM link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89299302329?pwd=wacgFtcP6Q62uQ7gQtkdvQptiwUo1x.1