Habitual activity induced musculoskeletal stress markers among prehistoric hunter-gather-fishers and farmers: A case study from Japan

Abstract

The transition from fishing, hunting, and gathering to full time agriculture occurred at different times in different places throughout the world. The global shift from foraging to agriculture is widely recognized to have intensified physical stress on the human body. This dissertation examines musculoskeletal stress markers (MSM) to assess the impact of habitual activity on the skeleton during this transition in prehistoric Japan. By analyzing skeletal remains from Jomon hunter-gatherer-fishers, Yayoi farmers, and historical modern Japanese farmers, this dissertation investigates changes in biomechanical stress associated with shifting subsistence strategies and labor demands. This research uses a combination of a traditional scoring semi-quantitative method and an innovative three-dimensional quantitative methodology to enhance the precision of MSM assessment. The skeletal collections analyzed include well-preserved remains from 743 individuals from 24 archaeological sites across Japan. This research tests hypotheses related to increased physical stress with the intensification of rice paddy farming in Japan. The results indicate a considerable increase in MSM expression among Yayoi farmers compared to the Jomon hunter-gatherer-fishers, supporting the hypothesis that farming required greater physical stress. Furthermore, evidence suggests variation in MSM expression related to geographic location, with inland Yayoi groups displaying higher MSM levels than the coastal and riverine groups. This study contributes to bioarchaeology by refining methodologies for MSM assessment and providing data on the skeletal impacts of different subsistence strategies. The findings have broader implications for understanding skeletal adaptations to habitual activity across time and geographic regions. By using both semi-qualitative and quantitative approaches, this research advances the study of MSM and entheseal change.