Japan

Motonobaru Site

Large Jōmon period ring settlement site

Location

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Historical Context

About

The Motonobaru Site is a significant archaeological site located in Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan, known for its large Jōmon period ring settlement. This site features over 100 pit dwellings and is one of the largest ring settlements found in western Japan. Situated on a plateau at approximately 180 meters elevation, the site dates back to the Japanese Paleolithic period and extended into the Jōmon period. It includes a central plaza, storage pits, and ceremonial platforms, indicating its complex social structure. The discovery of Jōmon pottery, food processing tools, and unique ecofacts such as cockroach egg sacs suggests long-term habitation and trade connections. The site provides significant insights into prehistoric life and cultural interactions in Japan.

Paleolithic
Mesolithic
Neolithic
Chalcolithic
Bronze Age
Iron Age
Classical Period
Post-Classical Period
Early Modern Period
Industrial Period
Contemporary Period
Temporal Epochs

Historical Timeline

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Use of pit dwellings

Unknown

Jōmon pottery and artifacts

Unknown

Construction of ring settlement

Unknown

Classification

Archaeological Features

Unique architectural and cultural elements found at this historical site

category

Storage Structures

Storage Pits
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Burial and Funerary Structures

Graves
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Religious and Ritual Structures

Ceremonial Platforms
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Domestic and Habitation Structures

VillagesPit Houses
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Food Production and Processing Features

Grindstones
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Transportation and Communication Structures

Roads
Knowledge Base

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Reference

Details

Country

Japan

Coordinates

31.82° N, 131.28° E