Historical Sites in Wakayama City
When I try to describe the state of present Wakayama City area in the Kofun Period including Iwase-senzuka, I think I need to understand how people had lived there until that time. So, I would like to classify archaelogical sites and artifacts from those periods and give some thoughts to them here.
- Tomoga-shima Islands Area
- Kada Area
- Kinokawa River North Bank Area
- Kinokawa River South Bank Area
(Source: "Place Name List of Burried Cultural Properties" by Wakayama Prefecture Board of Education. The next lists have been edited by the owner of this website ("Guide to Iwase-senzuka")
Explanation for Each Area
Source: Geospatial Information Authority of Japan. The owner of this website edited and processed the original map.
-
Tomoga-shima Islands
- It is a generic name for four islands in front of Kada Fishing Port in the most northwestern part of Wakayama City.
- It is located at the southern end of Osaka Bay. No one lives there now.
- Remains of gun batteris built in the Meiji Period and high-quality sea breams are well known.
-
Kada
- Kada is located at the most northwestern area in Wakayama City. The place is a little away from the Wakayama Plain.
- It has a traditional fishing port which were already important point in water transport in the ancient times.
- The current population there is around 2,400 (in 2022; population of whole Wakayama City is around 350,000.).
-
Kinokawa River North Bank Area
- It is a northern part of the Wakayama Plain. Izumi Mountain Range, which is between Osaka and Wakayama, is close to the Kinokawa River. The area with large river terraces is long from east to west.
-
Kinokawa River South Bank Area
- The area includes a vast flat plane called the Wakayama Plain at the mouth of the Kinokawa River.
- Currently, buildings and houses stand roof by roof there. It is thought that the area was an inlet in the middle Jomon Period and rice paddies stretched in the Yayoi and Kofun Periods.
The Old Stone Age
In the Whole City Area
Source: Geospatial Information Authority of Japan. The owner of this website edited and processed the original map.
| Site Name | Artifacts |
|---|---|
| Oike Site | knife-shaped stone tool, stone spoon, stone arrowheads, a fragment of sanukite |
| Terauchi Findspot | knife-shaped stone tool (yokohagi type 横剥) |
| Zudaji Findspot | knife-shaped stone tool (yokohagi type 横剥) |
The Jomon Period
Source: Geospatial Information Authority of Japan. The owner of this website edited and processed the original map.
Tomoga-shima Islands Area (Jomon)
| Site Name | Artifacts |
|---|---|
| Ichiya-iro Site | Jomon pottery, Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, a href="42-glossary.html#sueki">sue pottery, salt-making earthenware (until the Nara Period) |
| Tarumi Site | Jomon pottery, haji pottery, stone arrowheads, earth sinker (until the Edo Period) |
| Kami-shima Site | Jomon pottery, Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, a href="42-glossary.html#sueki">sue pottery, stone ax (until the Kofun Period) |
Kada Area (Jomon)
| Site Name | Artifacts |
|---|---|
| Otani-gawa Site | Jomon pottery, Yayoi pottery, copper arrowheads, copper fishing hook, haji pottery, sue pottery, stone arrowheads, gaki pottery, earth sinker, salt-making earthenware (the Jomon Period, the middle and late Yayoi Period) |
| Kada Site | Jomon pottery, Yayoi pottery, sue pottery, haji pottery, black-colored earthenware, gaki pottery, domestic porcelain, Korean earthenware, salt-making earthenware, stone tools, earth sinkers, human bones, animal bones (until the medieval era) |
| Kada-minami Site | salt-making earthenware, Jomon pottery, Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, sue pottery, earth sinkers (until the Kofun Period) |
| Takura-zaki I Site | Jomon pottery, haji pottery |
The North Side of the Kino-kawa River (Jomon)
| Site Name | Artifacts |
|---|---|
| Kinomoto II Site | Jomon pottery, sue pottery, sue pottery, black-colored earthenware, tiles, imported porcelain, earth products, stone products, etc. (Jomon, Heian-Kamakura Periods) |
| Kinomoto IV Site | sanukite fragments, gaki pottery, porcelain in the medieval earthenware |
| Ikeda Site | sanukite, stone arrowheads (the Jomon Period?) |
| Musota Site | Yayoi pottery, stone arrowheads, ishibocho, Jomon pottery, stone sinkers (the Jomon–Yayoi Periods) |
| Nogawa Site | Jomon pottery, stone arrowheads, stone drills |
| Takai Site | stone arrowheads |
| Fuchu II Site | Jomon pottery, stone arrowheads, stone drills, stone scrapers, sekibo? |
| Fuchu III Site | stone arrowheads, Jomon pottery, sekibo, sue pottery, sue pottery (Jomon–Heian Periods) |
| Shinjaike-kita Site | sanukite fragments, Yayoi pottery (until the Yayoi Period) |
| Nagusa-ike-kita Site | stone arrowheads, medives, scrapers, points, partly-ground stone tools, sanukite fragments |
| Yuya-ike-nishi Site | stone arrowheads, stone knives, hafted points, Yayoi pottery (until the Yayoi Period) |
| Hirano-ike-minami Site | sanukite fragments |
| Kitano-ike-kita Site | points |
| Kawanabe Site | pit dwellings (circular, square), a structure supported by posts in the ground, a square ditch, a grave, a ditch, a earthenware jar coffin, Jomon pottery, Yayoi pottery, dogu, earth horse (Jomon through the medieval era) |
Kinokawa River South Bank Area (Jomon)
| Site Name | Artifacts |
|---|---|
| Negi II Site | sanukite |
| Negi Shell Mound | Jomon pottery, stone tools (knives, drill, arrowheads, sinkers, axes), bone or horn implements (bone needles, tusk knife), cockles, Japanese basket clams, clams, Japanese oysters, etc. |
| Yakushi-dani Site | stone arrowheads, Jomon pottery, haji pottery, black-colored earthenware, gaki pottery (Jomon, Heian, Kamakura) |
| Kire Shell Mound | shellfish (clams, Japanese oysters, cockles, etc.), Jomon pottery, earthen earrings, stone tools (knives, arrowheads, drills, axes), animal bones |
| Okazaki Jomon Site | Jomon pottery, a large number of stone tools |
| Narukami Shell Mound | Jomon pottery, bone products, human bones, Yayoi pottery (until the Yayoi Period) |
| Geiko-seki Iwakakage Iseki | earthenware fragments in the late Jomon Period |
| Oike Site | knife-shaped stone tools, stone knives, stone arrowheads, sanukite fragments (the Old Stone Age, Jomon) |
| Okamura Site | Jomon pottery, Yayoi pottery, ishibocho, spindle wheels, stone arrowheads, haji pottery, sue pottery (Jomon through Nara) |
| Hirao Site | pit dwellings (square), stone arrowheads, sue pottery, haji pottery (Jomon through Muromachi) |
| Fukiage Site | Jomon pottery, Yayoi pottery, sue pottery, haji pottery, sanukite fragments |
The Yayoi Priod
Source: Geospatial Information Authority of Japan. The owner of this website edited and processed the original map.
Tomoga-shima Islands Area (Yayoi)
| Site Name | Artifacts |
|---|---|
| Kamishima Site | Jomon pottery, Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, sue pottery, salt-production earthenware, stone ax (until the Kofun Period) |
| Nona-ura Site | Yayoi pottery, sue pottery, salt-production earthenware, earth sinkers, stone sinkers (Yayoi through Edo Period) |
| Ichiyairo Site | Jomon pottery, Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, sue pottery, salt-production earthenware (Jomon through Nara) |
| Kashiwa-no-hama Site | Yayoi pottery, salt-production earthenware |
| Shinja-ike Site | Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, Hizen china (Yayoi through Edo Period) |
| Yashiki-hama Site | Yayoi pottery |
| Haibu-no-ura Site | Yayoi pottery |
| Mozaki-kitahama Site | Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, sue pottery, salt-production earthenware |
| Kozaki Higashihama Site | Yayoi pottery |
Tomoga-shima is a generic term for four islands in front of Kada Fishing Port, which is at the most northwestern part of Wakayama City. At the same time, the area is also at the southern edge of Osaka Bay. Currently, no one lives in the islands. The area is famous as good fishing grounds to catch sea breams.
What I estimate from the archaelogical sites and the artifacts found at the islands is as follows.
- Yayoi pottery found there seems to indicate that some people lived at Tomoga-shima in the Yayoi Period.
- Sinkers unearthed there show that they caught fish with nets. They must have been fishers who were good at navigating.
- They seem to have produced salt there. They might have bartered the salt for rice grains.
Kada Area (Yayoi)
| Site Name | Artifacts |
|---|---|
| Ho-on-ko-ji Site | Yayoi pottery, salt-production earthenware, sue pottery, haji ware (Yayoi and Kofun) |
| Moe Site | Yayoi pottery, salt-production earthenware, haji ware, sue ware, earth sinker (Yayoi through Nara) |
| Shobudani Site | Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, salt-production earthenware, earth sinkers, (gaki pottery) |
| Mizutani Site | Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, sue pottery, earth sinkers (Yayoi and Kofun) |
| Miyama Site | Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, sue pottery, salt-production earthenware, earth sinkers, salt-production fire pit (Yayoi and Kofun) |
| Ohtani-gawa Site | Jomon pottery, Yayoi pottery, copper arrowheads, copper fishhooks, haji pottery, sue pottery, stone arrowheads, (gaki pottery), salt-productuion earthenware (Jomon, middle and late Kofun) |
| Kada Site | Jomon pottery, Yayoi pottery, sue pottery, haji potter, black-color earthenware, Korean earthenware, salt-production earthenware, stone tools, human bones, animal bones, (Japanese ceramics), gaki pottery (Jomon through medieval ear) |
| Kada-minami Site | salt-production earthenware, Jomon pottery, Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, sue pottery, earth sinkers (Jomon through Kofun) |
| Kada-eki-hoppo Site | Yayoi pottery, circcular stone ax, haji pottery, sue pottery earth sinkers, (gaki pottery) (Yayoi through Nara) |
| Gyajado-higashi Site | Jomon pottery, Yayoi pottery, sue pottery, haji pottery, salt-production earthenware, (chinaware) |
| Kada II Site | Yayoi pottery, sue pottery, haji pottery |
| Takura-zaki I Site | Jomon pottery, haji pottery |
As expected, artifacts found in Kada area are not so different from those unearthed at nearby islands, Tomoga-shima. And the number of archaelogical sites from the Yayoi Period is still amazing. These areas must have been a suitable place for Yayoi people to live by catching and eating seafood as Jomon people had done.
The North Side of the Kino-kawa River (Yayoi)
| Site Name | Artifacts |
|---|---|
| Kuni-arimoto Site | Yayoi pottery, sue pottery (unearthed from the riverbed) (Yayoi and Kofun) |
| Honen-ji Site | Yayoi pottery, sanukite |
| Musota Site | Yayoi pottery, stone arrowheads, ishibocho (stone implement for gathering ears of rice), Jomon pottery, stone sinkers (Jomon through Yayoi) |
| Wada Site | Yayoi pottery, haji pottery (Yayoi and Kofun) |
| Nishi-tsuji Site | Yayoi pottery |
| Kawaguichi Site | Yayoi pottery, Haji pottery (Yayoi and Kofun) |
| Taya Site | pit dwellings (circular, square), a ditch, Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, gaki pottery (Yayoi and Kofun) |
| Fuchu III Site | stone arrowheads, Jomon pottery, sekibo (a stone implement depicting a penis), sue pottery, haji pottery (Jomon through Heian) |
| Tachibana-dani I Site | Yayoi pottery |
| Tachibana-dani Dotaku Find Site | dotaku |
| Hironishi Site | Yayoi pottery |
| Kita-tai Site | pit dwellings (circular, square), a ditch, a kofun barrow, Yayoi pottery, small-sized mirror, haji pottery, sue pottery, iron arrowheads, gaki pottery, haniwa (cylindrical, man, horse gear) (middle Yayoi thouigh early Kofun) |
| Kami-kurodani II Site | sue pottery, iron nails, sanukite (Yayoi and Kofun) |
| Yamaguchi Site | a structure supported by posts in the ground, a ditch, Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, sue pottery (Yayoi though Heian) |
| Sato Site | Yayoi pottery |
| Kawanabe Site | pit dwellings (circular, square), a structure supported by posts in the ground, a square ditch, a grave, a ditch, a earthenware jar coffin, Jomon pottery, Yayoi pottery, dogu, earth horse (Jomon though the medieval era) |
| Fuijita Site | Yayoi pottery |
| Uda-no-mori Site | a pit dwelling (circular), a ditch, pits, Yayoi pottery (pots, jars, pedestal bowls, koshiki steamers, etc.), stone arrowheads, ishibocho (stone implement for gathering ears of rice), stone spindle whorls, and so on (middle and late Yayoi) |
| Fuchu IV Site | pit dwellings (circular, sqaure), ditch, Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, gaki pottery (Yayoi through Nara, Kamakura) |
| Nishi-tai Site | pit dwellings,a structure supported by poles in the ground, a dtch, Yayoi pottery, haji pootery, sue pottery, gaki pottery, coins (Yayoi through medieval era) |
| Hirai Site | Yayoi pottery, sue pottery, haji pottery, cylindrical haniwa, figure haniwa, earthenware coffin, gaki pottery, celadon ware (Yayoi through the medieval era) |
| Shinja-ike-kita Site | sanukite fragments, Yayoi pottery (Jomon and Yayoi) |
| Yuya-ike-nishi Site | stone arrowheads, stone knives, hafted points, Yayoi pottery (Jomon and Yayoi) |
| Tachibana-dani IV Site | Pit dwelling, dray moat, Yayoi pottery, copper arrowheads |
| Konami Site | Yayoi pottery |
| Yoshida Site | pit dwelling, a structure supported by post in the grouind, a square grave surrounded by a ditch, an urnfield, Yayoi pottery, stone toold, sue p;ottery (Yayoi through Nara) |
| Hirai II Site | Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, sue pottery, gaki pottery (Yayoi through the medieval era) |
| Tojo-ato Site | Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, sue pottery, black-colored earthenware, gaki pottery, celadon ware, tiles (Yayoi through the medieval era) |
Kinokawa River South Bank Area (Yayoi)
| Site Name | Artifacts |
|---|---|
| Joga-mori Site | Yayoi pottery |
| Shobu-dani Site | a square grave burrounded by a ditch, a platform grave ( 台上墓), haji pottery, sue pottery (Yayoi and Kofun |
| Kire III Site | Yayoi pottery (Yayoi through medieval era) |
| Sengoku-yama Site千石山遺跡 | Yayoi pottery |
| Baba Site | Yayoi pottery |
| Yoshizato Dotaku Findspot | Dotaku 袈裟襷文銅鐸 |
| Zudaji Site | temple remains, stone arrows, tiles |
| Takiga-mine Site | a shell mound, pit dwelling, Yayoi pottery (pots, pedestal trays, vessel stand bowls), ishibocho, stone spindle wheels, whetstones, iron fragments, mirror fragments龍文鏡片,seashells |
| Yakushoji Site | Yayoi pottery (pots, pedestal trays), stone ax |
| Nishi-kire Site | Yayoi pottery (pots, pedestal trays) |
| Higashi-kire Site | Yayoi pottery (pots, pedestal trays) |
| Wada Site | Yayoi pottery |
| Wada-iwatsubo Site | Yayoi pottery, earth sinkers, sue pottery, haji pottery (Yayoi and Kofun) |
| Kozaki Site | Yayyoi pottery, ishibocho, spindle wheel, stone ax, haji pottery |
| Imbe Site | Yayoi pottery, haji pottery |
| Imbe I Site | Yayoi pottery, haji pottery (Yayoi and Kofun) |
| Imbe II Site | Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, sue potteryYayoi pottery,haji pootery,sue pottery (Yayoi and Kofun) |
| Narukami II Site | Yayoi pottery,haji pootery,sue pottery,wooden products (Yayoi through Heian) |
| Narukami IV Site | haji pootery,sue pottery,black-colored earthenware,gaki pottery,porcelain, earth sinkers, tiles, salt-making earthenware (Yayoi through Edo) |
| Narukami Shell Mound | Jomon pottery,bone products, human bone, Yayoi pottery（Jomon and Yayoi) |
| Narukami V Site | a grave surrounded by a ditch, pit dwelling (square), a structure suppoted by poles in the ground, paddy-like structure, haji pootery,sue pottery,black-colored earthenware,gaki pottery,pottery and porcelain, earring, inkstone, talk imitation (magatama, usudama 勾玉,臼玉 (Yayoi through Heian) |
| Narukami VI Site | Yayoi pottery,haji pootery,sue pottery,black-colored earthenware,gaki pottery,pottery and porcelain, tiles (Yayoi through Edo) |
| Kinokawa River Dotaku Findspot | dotaku unearthed from the riverbed 袈裟襷文銅鐸 |
| Arimoto Dotaku Findspot | dotaku unearthed at the south bank of Kinokawa, haji pootery |
| Ota Kuroda Site | pit dwellings, Yayoi pottery (a great number of pots, vessel stands, pedestal trays, bowls, and so on), stone toold (arrows, knives, drills, axes and others), dotaku 袈裟襷文銅鐸 (Yayoi through Nara) |
| Sagi-no-mori Site | a part of castle town (Blacksmith Town), Yayoi pottery,haji pootery,sue pottery,pottery and porcelain in early-modern times, bellows, Japanese wooden clogs (Yayoi through Edo) |
| Akizuki Site | Keyhole-shaped grave surrounded by a ditch, a grave surrounded by a ditch, Yayoi pottery,haji pootery,sue pottery (Yayoi through Heian) |
| Tsuhada Site | Yayoi pottery, sanukite |
| Sekido Site | Yayoi pottery,haji pootery,sue pottery, porcelain, gaki pottery, ishibocho, knock stone 叩石, earth sinkers (Yayoi through Muromachi) |
| Nagusa Shell Mounds | Yayoi pottery, haji pootery, sue pottery, earth sinkers, stone sinkers, seashells (clams, Japanese ivory shells, Japanese littlenecksm, corbicula clams) (Yayoi and after) |
| Oku-yamada Site | pit dwellings跡,a structure supported by poles in the ground,a dtch,haji pootery,gaki pottery, tiles (Yayoi through Kamakura) |
| Asahi Stone Spear Findspot | a stone spear |
| Okamura Site | Jomon pottery, Yayoi pottery, ishibocho, spindle wheels, stone arrows, haji pootery, sue pottery (Jomon through Nara) |
| Yamabuki-cho Site | Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, sue pottery (Yayoi and Kofun) |
| Tomoda-cho Site | a ditch, sue pottery, haji pottery, black-colored earthenware (Yayoi through Heian) |
| Tsuhada II Site | a rice paddy, a ditch, stakes (Yayoi through Kamakura) |
| Wada II Site | ditch-like structure, Yayoi pottery |
| Sakai-bara Site | Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, gaki pottery (Yayoi through Muromachi) |
| Yakushoji II Site | Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, sue pottery (Yayoi through Nara) |
| Hirao Site | Pit dwelling (square), stone arrows, sue pottery, haji pottery (Jomon through Muromach) |
| Takigamine II Site | Yayoi pottery(pdestal tray) This site seems to be originally the same as Takigamine Site. |
| Kibiro-cho Site | Yayoi pottery(pot with perforation) |
| Higashi-tanaka Site | Yayoi pottery, sue pottery, gaki pottery, haji pottery, earth sinkers, chert fragments, talc fragments (Yayoi through the medieval era) |
| Sakata Site | Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, soft earthenware called gashitsu doki (瓦質土器 (Yayoi, Kofun and the medieval era) |
| Mikazura Site | Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, sue pottery, black-colored earthenware, gaki pottery, tiles, stone tools, earthen products (Yayoi through the medieval era) |
The Kofun Period
Source: Geospatial Information Authority of Japan. The owner of this website edited and processed the original map.
Tomoga-shima Islands Area (Kofun)
| Site Name | Artifacts |
|---|---|
| Mozaki-kitahama Site | Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, sue pottery, salt-production earthenware |
| Kozaki-nishihama Site | Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, sue pottery, salt-making earthenware (Kofun through Nara) |
| Ichiyairo Site | Jomon pottery, Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, sue pottery, salt-production earthenware (Jomon through Nara) |
| Shinja-ike Site | Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, Hizen china (Yayoi through Edo Period) |
| Tarumi Site | Jomon pottery, haji pottery, stone arrowheads, earth sinker (Jomon through Edo) |
| Kami-shima Site | Jomon pottery, Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, a href="42-glossary.html#sueki">sue pottery, stone ax (Jomon through Kofun) |
Kada Area (Kofun)
| Site Name | Artifacts |
|---|---|
| Ho-on-ko-ji Site | Yayoi pottery, salt-production earthenware, sue pottery, haji ware (Yayoi and Kofun) |
| Moe Site | Yayoi pottery, salt-production earthenware, haji ware, sue ware, earth sinker (Yayoi through Nara) |
| Mizutani Site | Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, sue pottery, earth sinkers (Yayoi and Kofun) |
| Mera-no-tani Site | haji pottery, sue pottery, earth sinkers (Kofun through Nara) |
| Miyama Site | Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, sue pottery, salt-production earthenware, earth sinkers, salt-production fire pit (Yayoi and Kofun) |
| Kada Site | Jomon pottery, Yayoi pottery, sue pottery, haji pottery, black-colored earthenware, gaki pottery, domestic porcelain, Korean earthenware, salt-making earthenware, stone tools, earth sinkers, human bones, animal bones (Jomon through the the medieval era) |
| Kada II Site | Yayoi pottery, sue pottery, haji pottery (Yayoi and Kofun) |
| Kada-minami Site | salt-making earthenware, Jomon pottery, Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, sue pottery, earth sinkers (Jomon through Kofun) |
| Kada-eki-hoppo Site | Yayoi pottery, circcular stone ax, haji pottery, sue pottery earth sinkers, (gaki pottery) (Yayoi through Nara) |
Kinokawa River North Bank Area (Kofun)
| Site Name | Artifacts |
|---|---|
| Nishi-no-sho Site | haji pottery, sue pottery, sue pottery, salt-making earthenware, earth sinkers, salt-making fireplace |
| Nishi-no-sho III Site | haji pottery, sue pottery, salt-making eathenware, gaki pottery(Kofun through Kamakura) |
| Ki-no-moto Shogakko I Site | haji pottery, sue pottery |
| Ki-no-moto Shogakko II Site | haji pottery, sue pottery |
| Enoki-hara Site | haji pottery, sue pottery |
| Nakano Site | haji pottery, sue pottery, earthenware, imported pottery and porcelain (Kofun through the medieval era) |
| Kusumi Site | earthenware (pots, vessel stands, haso pottery, pedestal trays, cups), a holed disc, haji pottery (cups, pedestal trays, pot, haso, koshiki steamers, and others |
| Narutaki Site | cluster of structure supported by poles in the ground, earthenware 陶質土器 |
| Sakae-dani Site | haji pottery, sue pottery, haji-like earthenware (Kofun through the medieval era) |
| Kuni-arimoto Site | Yayoi pottery, sue pottery (unearthed from the riverbed) (Yayoi and Kofun) |
| Wada Site | Yayoi pottery, haji pottery (Yayoi and Kofun) |
| Kawaguichi Site | Yayoi pottery, Haji pottery (Yayoi and Kofun) |
| Taya Site | pit dwellings (circular, square), a ditch, Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, gaki pottery (Yayoi and Kofun) |
| Fuchu III Site | stone arrowheads, Jomon pottery, sekibo (a stone implement depicting a penis), sue pottery, haji pottery (Jomon through Heian) |
| Fuchu IV Site | pit dwellings (circular, sqaure), ditch, Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, gaki pottery (Yayoi through Nara, Kamakura) |
| Nishi-tai Site | pit dwellings,a structure supported by poles in the ground, a dtch, Yayoi pottery, haji pootery, sue pottery, gaki pottery, coins (Yayoi through medieval era) |
| Nango Site | haji pottery |
| Kita-tai Site | pit dwellings (circular, square), a ditch, a kofun barrow, Yayoi pottery, small-sized mirror, haji pottery, sue pottery, iron arrowheads, gaki pottery, haniwa (cylindrical, man, horse gear) (middle Yayoi thouigh early Kofun) |
| Kami-kurodani II Site | sue pottery, iron nails, sanukite (Yayoi and Kofun) |
| Tojo-ato Site | Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, sue pottery, black-colored earthenware, gaki pottery, celadon ware, tiles (Yayoi through the medieval era) |
| Yamaguchi Site | a structure supported by posts in the ground, a ditch, Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, sue pottery (Yayoi though Heian) |
| Kawanabe Site | pit dwellings (circular, square), a structure supported by posts in the ground, a square ditch, a grave, a ditch, a earthenware jar coffin, Jomon pottery, Yayoi pottery, dogu, earth horse (Jomon though the medieval era) |
| Yoshida Site | pit dwellings, a structure supported by poles in the ground, a grave surrounded by a dtch, an urnfield, Yayoi pottery, stone tools, sue pottery (Yayoi through Nara) |
Kinokawa River South Bank Area (Kofun)
| Site Name | Artifacts (except kofun barrows) |
|---|---|
| Mori-otebo Site | sue pottery, haji pottery, tiles, etc.(Kofun through the medieval era) |
| Kire-saradani-kama-ato | sue pottery(Kofun through Nara) |
| Shobudani Site | Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, salt-production earthenware, earth sinkers, (gaki pottery) |
| Kire III Site | Yayoi pottery (Yayoi through medieval era) |
| Niibe Site | haji pottery, sue pottery |
| Sugamada Site | haji pottery(pots, bowls, cups, pedestal trays), sue pottery, gaki pottery (Kofun through ancient times) |
| Wada-iwatsubo Site | Yayoi pottery, earth sinkers, sue pottery, haji pottery (Yayoi and Kofun) |
| Mori-otebo-haniwa-kama-ato | Haniwa (cylindrical ones, figrues) |
| Dainichi-yama I Site | pit dwellings, structure supported by poles in the ground, haji pottery(pots, pedestal trays, small-sized pot, cups, koshiki steamers), sue pottery(cups, pedestal trays), bird-shaped earthenware, talk magatama accessories, hold discs (Kofun through Nara) |
| Imbe I Site | Yayoi pottery, haji pottery (Yayoi and Kofun) |
| Imbe II Site | Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, sue potteryYayoi pottery,haji pootery,sue pottery (Yayoi and Kofun) |
| Narukami II Site | Yayoi pottery,haji pootery,sue pottery,wooden products (Yayoi through Heian) |
| Narukami IV Site | haji pootery,sue pottery,black-colored earthenware,gaki pottery,porcelain, earth sinkers, tiles, salt-making earthenware (Yayoi through Edo) |
| Narukami V Site | a grave surrounded by a ditch, pit dwelling (square), a structure suppoted by poles in the ground, paddy-like structure, haji pootery,sue pottery,black-colored earthenware,gaki pottery,pottery and porcelain, earring, inkstone, talk imitation (magatama, usudama 勾玉,臼玉 (Yayoi through Heian) |
| Oto-ura Site | pit dwellings, a ditch, structure supported by poles in the ground, haji pottery(pots, small-sized pots, pedestal trays, cups, koshiki steamers), holed disc, sue pottery(pots, pedestal trays, cups, koshiki steamers), stone spindle wheels |
| Narukami VI Site | Yayoi pottery,haji pootery,sue pottery,black-colored earthenware,gaki pottery,pottery and porcelain, tiles (Yayoi through Edo) |
| Kurusu I Site | haji pottery, sue pottery |
| Ota Kuroda Site | pit dwellings, Yayoi pottery (a great number of pots, vessel stands, pedestal trays, bowls, and so on), stone toold (arrows, knives, drills, axes and others), dotaku 袈裟襷文銅鐸 (Yayoi through Nara) |
| Sagi-no-mori Site | a part of castle town (Blacksmith Town), Yayoi pottery,haji pootery,sue pottery,pottery and porcelain in early-modern times, bellows, Japanese wooden clogs (Yayoi through Edo) |
| Akizuki Site | Keyhole-shaped grave surrounded by a ditch, a grave surrounded by a ditch, Yayoi pottery,haji pootery,sue pottery (Yayoi through Heian) |
| Sekido Site | Yayoi pottery,haji pootery,sue pottery, porcelain, gaki pottery, ishibocho, knock stone 叩石, earth sinkers (Yayoi through Muromachi) |
| Uchi-hara Site | haji pottery |
| Sando-naka Site | sue pottery(cups), haji pottery(pots, pedestal trays) |
| Iwase II Site | sanukite, haji pottery, sue pottery, gaki pottery (Kofun through Muromachi) |
| Inokuchi Site | sue pottery, haji pottery, gaki pottery, pottery and porselain (Kofun through the medieval era) |
| Okamura Site | Jomon pottery, Yayoi pottery, ishibocho, spindle wheels, stone arrowheads, haji pottery, sue pottery (Jomon through Nara) |
| Yamabuki-cho Site | Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, sue pottery (Yayoi and Kofun) |
| Tomoda-cho Site | a ditch, sue pottery, haji pottery, black-colored earthenware (Yayoi through Heian) |
| Tsuhada II Site | a rice paddy, a ditch, stakes (Yayoi through Kamakura) |
| Sakai-bara Site | Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, gaki pottery (Yayoi through Muromachi) |
| Yakushoji II Site | Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, sue pottery (Yayoi through Nara) |
| Moto-watari Site | sue pottery(pots, pedestal trays) (Kofun through Heian) |
| Hirao Site | Pit dwelling (square), stone arrows, sue pottery, haji pottery (Jomon through Muromach) |
| Higashi-tanaka Site | Yayoi pottery, sue pottery, gaki pottery, haji pottery, earth sinkers, chert fragments, talc fragments (Yayoi through the medieval era) |
| Iwase Taka-yanagi Site | the estimated position of Iwase Castle Residence (Kofun, the medieval era throuh early-modern era) |
| Sakata Site | Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, soft earthenware called gashitsu doki (瓦質土器 (Yayoi, Kofun and the medieval era) |
| Oku-yamada Site | pit dwellings跡,a structure supported by poles in the ground,a dtch,haji pootery,gaki pottery, tiles (Yayoi through Kamakura) |
| Mikazura Site | Yayoi pottery, haji pottery, sue pottery, black-colored earthenware, gaki pottery, tiles, stone tools, earthen products (Yayoi through the medieval era) |
| Sokata Site | haji pottery, sue pottery, salt-making earthenware, black-colored earthenware, gaki pottery (Kofun through the medieval era) |
Thoughts on Wakayama City Area in Each Period
Descriptions are gradually revised and added also here.
The Old Stone Age
- It is said to be around 40,000 years ago people reached the present Japanese Islands area. The population must have been sparse.
- It can be said to be fortunate that artifacts from the Old Stone Age were found in Wakayama City. (Aug. 19, 2024)
- Scientific research with genetic information on how people spread through the world including the Japanese Islands in the Old Stone Age, which is continuously revealing new findings now, is very interesting and, at the same time, too complicated for me to summarize here. I am looking forward to knowing its definite conclusion in the near future. Let me wait for it.
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Putting aside a genetic point of view, what are in common between those who lived in the proto-Japanese Islands in the Old Stone Age and modern Japanese people seem to be limited as follows. (Aug. 20, 2024)
- Being in the most eastern part of the Asian Continent.
- Making a fire.
The Jomon Period
- Not surprisingly, as sea level is thought to have been higher than today by around four meters at one point, archaeological sites where Jomon-period artifacts have been found are outside the present flat area of the Wakayama Plain. In other words, they are located along the edge of the lowland and, at the same time, at foot of hills.
- Jomon people must have sometimes led a hunting-gathering life of want when the region had a severe climate.
- Nonetheless, the number and the location of Jomon archaeological sites and artifacts seems to tell me that they generally lived calmly and peacefully, adapting themselves to the environment. (Aug. 22, 2024)
The Yayoi Period
- In this period, the number of archaeological sites in the south bank area increased and accounts for around 50%. Wet-rice cultivation seems to have supported larger population than before. (Aug. 19, 2024)
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Places where archaeological sites newly appeared in the Yayoi Period of Wakayama City seem to be grouped into four areas as follows. (Aug 23, 2024)
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Tomoga-shima and Kada area.
- This area seems to be unrelated to wet-rice cultivation due to its topographical conditions.
- Considering that artifacts have been found in Tomoga-shima Islands, some people must have lived there. They might have been fishers who were also engaged in waterborne traffic.
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The eastern part of the Kinokawa River north bank area.
- This area seems to be categorized into two groups again. One is a paddy community and the other is a hilltop settlement (Tachibana-dani Sites, 98 meters above sea level).
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A plain surrounding present Nichizen-gu Shrine in the Kinokawa River south bank area.
- This large flatland in the Kinokawa River south bank area aggregates densely a great number of archaeological sites.
- How did people in this area ensure agricultural water supply in the first half of the Yayoi Period? The Kinokawa River in those days must have often flooded the place. It is said that irrigation ditches were dug in the late Yayoi Period.
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A basin-like area surrounding present Ita-kiso Shrine where the Wadagawa River flows.
- As the Wadagawa River is much smaller than the Kinokawa River, it must have been much easier to maintain agricultural water supply from the flow.
- The basin-like place seems to be livable and resistant to typhoon even now.
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Tomoga-shima and Kada area.
The Kofun Period
- In my opinion, archaeological sites which began in the Kofun Period in Wakayama City are categorized into two groups as follows.
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One group consists of settlements which served specific functions.
- Nishi-no-sho Site and nearby ones must have been remains of settlements for those who specialized in fishing and salt manufacture. Salt must have been demanded much more than before.
- Remains of Narutaki Site are clearly those of clustered large-sized warehouses.
- Oto-ura Site must have been related to the irrigation system built in the late Yayoi Period and people who lived there might have been in charge of development and maintenance of the irrigation canals. Currently, active concrete canal headworks are built there.
- Mori-otebo Site had kilns for haniwa and Kire-saradani had kilns for sue pottery.
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The other group seem to consist of settlements which seem to have developed as a result of expansion of population and paddy fields.
- They seem to be located at outer edges of settlements which started in the Yayoi Period.