Kotehashi Shell Mound, Archaeological shell mound in Chiba, Japan.
Kotehashi Shell Mound is a mound composed of shell layers, pottery fragments, and stone tools left by people in prehistoric times. Its stacked layers show that this location was visited repeatedly over a long period.
The site formed during the Jomon period, when coastal dwellers discarded their waste here and it accumulated over centuries. This early period was defined by hunting, fishing, and gathering shellfish.
This site reveals how early inhabitants used the sea and which marine creatures they preferred to eat. The layers show how their eating habits changed over time.
The site is difficult to access and is mainly visited by researchers, not typical tourists. If you want to see the excavations or collected materials, contact local authorities or museums in advance.
The stacked shell layers act like tree rings and allow scientists to reconstruct environmental conditions from different time periods. Through this method, researchers can also detect when climate shifted or when new fish species appeared in the region.
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