Tsukumo Shell Mound, Archaeological site in Kasaoka, Japan.
Tsukumo Shell Mound is an archaeological site located on a south-facing slope overlooking the Mizushima Sea, containing remains from an earlier population. Excavations have uncovered human bones, shell decorations, and stone tools embedded in the soil.
Systematic excavations beginning in 1915 uncovered human remains from the late Jomon period. The collected findings are dated between 4000 and 2500 BC.
The human remains show intentional dental modifications and were buried with shell ornaments and stone tools. These burial practices reveal how people valued craftsmanship and personal adornment in daily life.
The site itself is located on private property and is typically not open to visitors. The excavated objects are instead displayed at the nearby Kasaoka Municipal Folk Museum where you can view them.
A 2021 research publication identified one skeleton bearing around 790 distinct injuries, documenting one of the earliest known deaths caused by a shark attack. This discovery sheds light on the risks and dangers people faced living near the sea during this early period.
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