G7
Investigating the Neanderthals in Western Asia

The Tokyo University Scientific Expedition to West Asia (TUSEWA) was organized by the late Professor Hisashi Suzuki (1912–2004). Its first field campaign was carried out in Israel at the Amud Cave in 1961, where a remarkably well-preserved Neanderthal burial containing one adult male skeleton was recovered. In the following years, the expedition team focused on investigating anthropological issues in relation to the Neanderthals of western Asia, through continued field campaigns at Douara Cave, Syria (1970–1984), Keoue Cave, Lebanon (1970), and Dederiyeh Cave, Syria (1989–2011). Skeletal remains were particularly rich at Dederiyeh Cave, which yielded plenty of Neanderthal fossil remains, including three infant burial remains.

The major contributions made by this research group over the past half a century undoubtedly lie in the discovery and documentation of Neanderthal fossil remains from Amud and Dederiyeh. However, documentation of the associated field data concerning the palaeoenvironments and behavioral characteristics of the Neanderthals (stone tools, their distribution, food remains, and so on) retains the same importance. While focusing on a human population whose trace of occupation has not been known in the Japanese archipelago, the research scope of the expedition has significant impact on researchers to seek fossil evidence of Pleistocene humans in Asia as well. (Yoshihiro Nishiaki)

References

赤澤 威（2000）『ネアンデルタール・ミッション』岩波書店。