Fukui Cave, Rock shelter in Yoshiicho Fukui, Sasebo, Japan
Fukui Cave is a rock shelter near the Fukui River, carved into sandstone cliffs and open to the landscape. The site contains distinct layers built up over thousands of years, holding thousands of objects left behind by people who lived here.
People lived at this location starting 30,000 years ago, leaving traces of their presence across thousands of years. Evidence shows that pottery-making began here around 12,700 years ago, marking a major shift in how people made their tools and vessels.
The site reveals how people lived here across different periods and what tools they used for daily tasks. The objects found show various ways of life, stacked in layers that tell a long human story.
The site is open most days and a museum area nearby displays objects found here to help you understand the location better. Good footwear is helpful since the ground can be uneven, and you can walk through the area at a relaxed pace without needing special equipment.
The early pottery here shows a distinctive change in how people decorated clay, moving from simple patterns to more detailed designs. This shift in decorating technique appears only rarely in other places around the world, making it a remarkable window into artistic development.
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