The is an
archaeological site consisting of a
Jōmon period
The is the time in Japanese history, traditionally dated between 6,000–300 BCE, during which Japan was inhabited by a diverse hunter-gatherer and early agriculturalist population united through a common Jōmon culture, which reached a c ...
rock shelter
A rock shelter (also rockhouse, crepuscular cave, bluff shelter, or abri) is a shallow cave-like opening at the base of a bluff or cliff. In contrast to solutional caves (karst), which are often many miles long, rock shelters are almost alway ...
dwelling in the
Mikawa neighborhood of the typo of
Kumakōgen,
Ehime Prefecture in the island of
Shikoku Japan. The site was designated a
National Historic Site of Japan in 1971.
The Kamikuroiwaiwakage Site is on a
river terrace on the right bank of the Kuma River about three kilometers from Misannohe, where the Omogo Valley, which originates at the southwestern foot of Mt. Ishizuchi, joins the Kuma River. It is in the shadow of a 30-meter-high limestone outcrop, the center of the ruins extends from the north end to the southwest side of the rock wall. The site was discovered in 1961 by a junior high school student living nearby.
Archaeological excavation
In archaeology, excavation is the exposure, processing and recording of archaeological remains. An excavation site or "dig" is the area being studied. These locations range from one to several areas at a time during a project and can be condu ...
s have been conducted five times since 1970, with
stratigraphic examination of over 14 layers indicated that it had been occupied from the early to late
Jōmon period
The is the time in Japanese history, traditionally dated between 6,000–300 BCE, during which Japan was inhabited by a diverse hunter-gatherer and early agriculturalist population united through a common Jōmon culture, which reached a c ...
. Artifacts were found in all layers, and included
Jōmon pottery with fine ridge line designs, tongued points, arrowhead grinders, sharpeners, gravel implements, and seven stone slabs inscribed on
chlorite schist. A total of 28 sets of human remains were also found, notably a female human hipbone with a deer-antler javelin stuck in it, believed to have been part of a posthumous ritual, as well as a female statue carved into a stone using a sharp flake stone tool, which may have been a ritual object. This was the first time that this kind of
Venus figurine was excavated in Japan. Objects such as bracelets, neck ornaments, and ear ornaments made from seashell or bone were also excavated. The same soil layer also unearthed the world's oldest piece of earthenware at the time of its discovery,
radiocarbon dated to approximately 14,500 years ago. A variety of animal remains were unearthed, including that of deer, wild boar, ''
kamoshika
The was a limited express train service in Japan operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) which ran between and via the Ōu Main Line. The service was discontinued from December 2010.
Service pattern
There were three services in each ...
'',
Japanese macaque,
Japanese raccoon dog,
Japanese wolf,
Siberian lynx,
Japanese river otter,
Asian black bear
The Asian black bear (''Ursus thibetanus''), also known as the Asiatic black bear, moon bear and white-chested bear, is a medium-sized bear species native to Asia that is largely adapted to an arboreal lifestyle. It lives in the Himalayas, sout ...
, rabbit,
giant flying squirrel
''Petaurista'' is a genus of rodent in the family Sciuridae. They are large to very large flying squirrels found in forests and other wooded habitats in southern and eastern Asia.
Like other flying squirrels, they are mostly nocturnal and able ...
, and mice and a huge number of ''
Semisulcospira libertina'' snail shells. Of domestic animals, the excavation of a dog (Jōmon dog), is noteworthy.
The site was designated as a prefectural historic site in November 1962 in 1964 Mikawa Village made 379.6 square meters of land public. It was designated as a national historic site on May 27, 1971. The excavated items are displayed at the on site.
The site is located about 80 minutes from Matsuyama City Hall or about 10 minutes from Kumakogen Town Hall, on
Japan National Route 33.
See also
*
List of Historic Sites of Japan (Ehime)
This list is of the Monuments of Japan, Historic Sites of Japan located within the Prefectures of Japan, Prefecture of Ehime Prefecture, Ehime.
National Historic Sites
As of 1 July 2021, seventeen Sites have been Cultural Properties of Japan, de ...
References
External links
Kumakōgen home page
{{Prehistoric caves
Kumakōgen, Ehime
Historic Sites of Japan
History of Ehime Prefecture
Rock shelters in Japan
Jōmon period sites