Emishi, Ezo and Ainu: An anthropological perspective

Abstract

Relationships among Emishi and Ezo of ancient through the medieval ages, and Ainu of recent through modern ages are discussed on rge basis of statistical analysis of cranial measurements. The discussion is mainly focused on the long-disputed question of whether the ancient Emishi were derived from Ainu or from non-Ainu Japanese. The study was carried out by analyzing affinities between inhabitants in the Tohoku district and those in Hokkaido throughout the periods from the Neolithic Jomon to modern ages. The results show that both populations were derived from the Jomon populations and gradually separated from each other after the Yayoi age which was the final stage of the Neolithic in Japan. The separation seems to have proceeded for as long as about 1,000 years and, as a result, non-Ainu Japanese changed to show quite different characteristics from Ainu, both physically and culturally, by the 13th century. The causes of the separation may be attributed to the influence of migrants from the Asian Continent after the Yayoi age. It is quite likely, therefore, that Emishi in ancient times were populations in the early stage of separation. In other words, they were neither Ainu nor non-Ainu Japanese of modern types, so the question of whether Emishi were Ainu or non-Ainu Japanese becomes meaningless.

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