Yasumiba ruins
Yasumiba ruins (休場遺跡, Yasmiba iseki) is the remnant of a Japanese Paleolithic settlement located in what is now part of the city of Numazu, Shizuoka in the Tōkai region of Japan. The site was designated a National Historic Site of Japan in 1979.[1]
休場遺跡 | |
 .svg.png){kind=icon} Yasumiba ruins  Yasumiba ruins (Japan) | |
| Location | Numazu, Shizuoka, Japan |
|---|---|
| Region | Tōkai region |
| Coordinates | 35°10′00″N 138°50′15″E |
| Type | settlement |
| History | |
| Founded | 12,300 BCE |
| Periods | Japanese Paleolithic |
| Site notes | |
| Ownership | National Historic Site |
| Public access | No |
Overview
The Yasumiba ruins is located at an altitude of 280 meters on a 60 meter wide ridge on the slopes of Mount Ashitaka, protected by steep cliffs on all sides. Excavated in 1964 by Meiji University, the site was found to contain a large number of microliths buried below a pyroclastic layer of ash from an eruption of Mount Fuji 2.5 meters below the present ground level. Two traces of semi-circular hearths made from rounded riverstones were also found, containing fragments of charcoal. One hearth was 180 cm x 100 cm, and the smaller was approximately 50 cm in diameter. Carbon dating of the charcoal indicated that these hearths were used 14,300 years ago. The number of stone tools and core fragments recovered was 4412 items.
The site is approximately five minutes by car from Tōmei Expressway Numazu IC, and is currently a grassy field with a small signpost.
References
- "休場遺跡" (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs.
External links
- Numazu city home page (in Japanese)