Yadegawa ruins
Yadegawa Ruins (矢出川遺跡, Yadegawa iseki) is an archaeological site containing the ruins of a late Japanese Paleolithic period (approximately 12,000 BCE) settlement located in what is now part of the village of Minamimaki, Nagano in the Chūbu region of Japan. The site was designated a National Historic Site of Japan in 1995.[1]
矢出川遺跡 | |
 .svg.png){kind=icon} Yadegawa Ruins  Yadegawa ruins (Japan) | |
| Location | Minamimaki, Nagano, Japan |
|---|---|
| Region | Chūbu region |
| Coordinates | 35°56′46″N 138°29′02″E |
| Altitude | 1,350 m (4,429 ft) |
| Type | settlement |
| History | |
| Periods | Japanese Paleolithic |
| Site notes | |
| Ownership | National Historic Site |
| Public access | None |
Overview
The site is located at the foot of Mount Yatsugatake at an altitude of approximately 1350 meters. It was discovered in 1953 and excavated in 1954 and 1983, during which time many stone tools including many finely-sharpened stone blades made of obsidian were discovered. This was one of the first pre-pottery sites confirmed in Japan, and of the 1792 rare stone blades discovered in Japan, 781 are from this site. From the large amount of knapping debris remaining in the area, it is believed that the site was a production area for stone blades over many years. Numerous ruins extend on both banks of the Yadegawa River over a three kilometer length. The 1983 survey classified these ruins into 10 groups with 68 sites and estimated that the settlements date to be around 14,000 years ago.
Although sources of obsidian are common in the area, the discovery of many obsidian artifacts using obsidian from Kōzu-shima in the Izu Islands has posed a major mystery for archaeologists.
The site is now an empty field with a signpost; however, some of the artifacts discovered are on display at the Minamimaki Village Folk Museum, approximately two minutes on foot from Nobeyama Station.
References
- "矢出川遺跡" (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs.
External links
- MInamimaki village official site (in Japanese)