Shinano River Landscape Project, Japan
Principal Investigators
Dr. Simon Kaner (Sainsbury Institute), Prof. Tatsuo Kobayashi (Kokugakuin University), Dr. Helen Lewis (UCD Archaeology), Dr. Liliana Janik (U Cambridge Archaeology), Mr. Toru Miao (Nagano Prefectural Museum)
Funding
Wenner-Gren,
Sainsbury Institute, Oxford
Sasakawa Fund
Abstract
This is a large-scale interdisciplinary landscape archaeology project investigating the development of the prehistoric and historic environment of the Shinano River, the longest river in Japan, running from the Japanese Alps to the coast at Niigata. The project includes survey, environmental sampling and small-scale investigations along the river valley. The region is famous as a centre of Jomon ceramics, the earliest pottery in the world, and for its early figurines. Current work is focusing on a re-assessment of the Sanka site, the type site for Jomon ‘flame-ware’ (kaen) pottery, and its tributary valley, looking at ancient settlement, land use, religious and ritual sites, and palaeoenvironment. There are also collaborations on museum collections and archives in the Nagano-Niigata region and in Nara, Kyoto and Tokyo, as well as project development of exhibitions and links between European and Japanese archaeology.