Kitakogane Shell Mound
北黄金貝塚 | |
| File:Kitakogane.jpg Shell-mound remains at Kitakogane Shell Mound (restored shell layers visible) | |
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| Location | Date, Hokkaido, Japan |
|---|---|
| Region | Hokkaidō |
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| Altitude | 10–20 m (33–66 ft) |
| Type | Shell midden / Settlement |
| Site notes | |
| Excavation dates | — (various, site designated 1987) |
| Condition | Preserved; partly open to public as historic park |
| Public access | Yes (Kitakogane Shell Mound Historic Park & Information Center) |
Kitakogane Shell Mound (Japanese: 北黄金貝塚, Hepburn: Kitakogane Kaizuka) is a Jōmon period archaeological shell-mound settlement site located in Date, Hokkaido, Japan. The site is part of the serial heritage property Jōmon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan.
Location
[edit | edit source]Kitakogane Shell Mound lies on a hillside facing Uchiura Bay, in southwestern Hokkaidō, at an elevation of approximately 10–20 meters above sea level. The site is some hundreds of meters inland from the modern shoreline.[1] At 143,594 square meters (171,737 sq yd), it is a relatively large shell mound site.[2]
Overview & Archaeological Significance
[edit | edit source]The site was designated a National Historic Site on December 25, 1987.[3] It was officially inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List on July 27, 2021 as part of the Jōmon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan.[4][5] Excavations and surveys have identified remains dating from around 5000 BCE to 3500 BCE, spanning much of the Jōmon period.[1]
Kitakogane was a settlement characterized by:[1][6]
- Five shell mounds containing marine shells (clams, oysters, scallops), fish bones, marine mammal bones (seal, whale), and terrestrial mammal bones (e.g., deer). These five mounds are designated A, B, C, A', and the southern slope mound.[7]
- Human burials and ceremonial contexts:[8] one shell mound has yielded 14 human skeletons,[9] accompanied by ritual artifacts such as spoons carved from whale bone and deer antler.[7]
- A cleared “watering place” at the lowland foot of the slope, where large amounts of grinding stones and milling basins were found, likely used for ritual disposal of tools.[7]
The pattern of shell-mound placement — successive mounds progressively lower on the slope — reflects environmental changes: as sea level and coastline shifted, inhabitants relocated their dwellings and midden sites downslope.[1][6]
Lifestyle and Economy
[edit | edit source]Analysis of faunal remains indicates that the inhabitants relied heavily on marine resources: fish and shellfish were the main protein sources, while nuts and land-based plants were secondary.[1] Dental remains show a high-protein diet, high in seafood and fish, and low incidence of cavities.[6][10] Stone and bone/antler tools — including fishing and hunting implements, harpoon heads, polished stone axes, and grinding stones — attest to a diversified subsistence strategy combining fishing, hunting, gathering, and possibly seasonal migration.[6]
Ritual and Mortuary Practices
[edit | edit source]The presence of human burials within shell mounds, decorative ritual objects, and the dedicated “watering-place” with systematically deposited and intentionally broken tools suggests a complex spiritual or ceremonial dimension to the settlement.[6][7]
Historic Park & Museum
[edit | edit source]The site is preserved as the Kitakogane Shell Mound Historic Park. At the entrance, the Kitakogane Shell Mound Information Center houses artifacts excavated from the site, displays a cross-section of a shell mound, skeletons, stone and bone tools, and offers visitor-friendly exhibits. The park is open from April 1 to November 30 each year, with free admission.[1][6][7]
See also
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References
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