Shimofunato Shell Mound

is a  Jōmon period archaeological site consisting of a shell midden and the remains of an adjacent settlement located in what is now the city of Ōfunato, Iwate Prefecture in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan.  It has been protected by the central government as a National Historic Site. since 1934.

The rocky rias coast of Iwate Prefecture was densely settled from the early through late Jōmon period, and the locations of such coastal settlements are often marked by shell middens containing shellfish, fish, animal and whale bones and human-produced artifacts, including earthenware shards, fishing hooks, etc. In particular, the deeply indented Ōfunato Bay area was a rich fishing ground and is the location of 16 known Jōmon-period shell middens, a number of which have been designated National Historic Sites.

The Shimofunato Shell Midden dates from the late Jōmon period, and is located at an elevation of between 20 and 30 meters above the present sea level, on the east side of Ōfunato Bay. The midden, which has a thickness of between 0.6 and 1.2 meters,  was first excavated between 1924-1925 and again in 1961, and many artifacts were recovered, including clay Dogū and large quantities of pottery shards. The remains of two adult humans and one child were also found.

See also
List of Historic Sites of Japan (Iwate)

References

External links
Iwate Prefecture site 
Ofunato city home page 

Category:Ōfunato, Iwate
Category:Jōmon period
Category:Shell middens in Japan
Category:Archaeological sites in Japan
Category:History of Iwate Prefecture
Category:Historic Sites of Japan