| Abstract |
Near Shirataki Village at the foot of Taisetsu Hill on Hokkaidô are a number of Late Paleolithic sites, one of them Kamishirataki 8 Site. Very good quality obsidian is found in the terraces along the river Yûbetsu which flows through Shirataki Village. During the Late Paleolithic this obsidian was traded to other regions in Hokkaidô, to Sachalin and to the Primoye. Recent excavations have yielded more than 4 million pieces of stone with a total weight of 10 tons. Most were chips but 1% were tools. Many cores could be refitted with these chips and flakes. Most tools are microblades and points (used as knives or spear points). Microblades were made on Hokkaidô from 20,000 yrs. BP. They were ma
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