Kitakogane Shell Mound
北黄金貝塚 | |
Shell-mound remains at Kitakogane Shell Mound (restored shell layers visible) | |
Interactive map of Kitakogane Shell Mound | |
| Location | Date, Hokkaido, Japan |
|---|---|
| Region | Hokkaidō |
| Coordinates | 42°24′7.32″N 140°54′38.33″E / 42.4020333°N 140.9106472°E |
| 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
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
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
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
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
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
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Kitakogane Site". Jomon Japan. Retrieved December 7, 2025.
- ^ "Kitakogane Site" (PDF). Jomon Japan. Retrieved December 7, 2025.
- ^ "北黄金貝塚" [Kitakogane Shell Mound] (in Japanese). National Cultural Properties Database. 1997. Retrieved December 7, 2025.
- ^ "Jomon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan". UNESCO World Heritage Convention. Retrieved February 1, 2025.
- ^ ""Jomon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan" has been added to the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Sites". Japan National Tourism Organization. November 19, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f "Kitakogane Shell Midden". MLIT database. 2020. Retrieved December 7, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e "All things are animate — The Ritual Landscape of Kitakogane" (PDF). Jomon Japan. Retrieved December 7, 2025.
- ^ "Jomon Culture and the Archaeological Sites in Hokkaido and Northern Tohoku". Hokkaido Digital Museum. Retrieved December 7, 2025.
- ^ "Summary of each archaeological site". Jomon Japan. Retrieved December 7, 2025.
- ^ Robson, Harry K.; et al. (2020). "Walnuts, salmon and sika deer: Exploring the evolution and diversification of Jōmon "culinary" traditions in prehistoric Hokkaidō". Journal of Anthropological Archaeology. 60 101225. Retrieved December 7, 2025.