8.Satsumon Period


This period began around the 7th century and continued until around the 12th century, and featured changes in the way dwellings were constructed and in methods of producing pottery as the result of influence from Honshu.

During this period, the methods of constructing dwellings from Honshu were introduced to the area, and rectangular pit-dwellings with ovens ("kamado") were constructed. Jomon patterns completely disappeared from pottery and were replaced with "Satsumon pottery" which is characterized by marks on the surface created by rubbing with wooden spatulas, and the name of the "Satsumon Period" is again derived from this pottery. Stone tools were no longer used, and instead iron goods which were mainly brought from Honshu were used. In addition, farming of cereal grains also began in Hokkaido around this time, however life on the Sea of Okhotsk coast still revolved mainly around fishery.