Introduction
The Sannai Maruyama Site, located in Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture, is the remains of a large-scale Jomon period settlement that lasted from approximately 5,900 to 4,200 years ago (Middle to Late Jomon period). In 2021, it was registered as a World Cultural Heritage site as part of the “Jomon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan and Hokkaido,” attracting attention as an extremely important site for understanding Japan’s prehistoric era. This site, through numerous discoveries that overturned previous archaeological common sense, shows that Jomon period society was far more advanced and complex than once thought.
However, while much research has progressed, many mysteries remain unsolved. Why did such a large-scale settlement flourish for a long period in the Tohoku region? What kind of social structure did they have? And what was their spiritual world like? This article delves into the mysteries of Jomon civilization as told by the Sannai Maruyama Site.
Value as a World Cultural Heritage Site
The registration of the “Jomon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan and Hokkaido,” including the Sannai Maruyama Site, as a World Cultural Heritage site was based on the recognition of the following outstanding universal values:
- Commencement, Development, and Maturation of Sedentary Life: Without relying on agriculture, they established and developed sedentary life at a globally early stage by sustainably utilizing rich natural resources based on gathering, fishing, and hunting.
- Complex Spiritual Culture: A complex spiritual culture nurtured over more than 10,000 years while coexisting with the environment, demonstrated by elaborate pottery, clay figurines, and large-scale ritual sites.
- Long-term Continuity: Being a rare prehistoric culture that continued to exist and develop for over 10,000 years through skillful adaptation to the natural environment.
In particular, the Sannai Maruyama Site, due to its scale, excellent preservation state, and abundant excavated artifacts, is attracting domestic and international attention as a representative site of mature sedentary Jomon culture.
Advanced Civilization Shown by Latest Research Findings
1. Planned Settlement Structure
Recent excavations have revealed that the Sannai Maruyama settlement was not just a random collection of dwellings, but was constructed with clear planning.
- Meaning of Circular Arrangement: The circular arrangement of dwellings suggests the possibility of a design philosophy reflecting the community consciousness and worldview of the time.
- Mystery of Large Structures: Multiple theories have been proposed regarding the use of the discovered six-pillared building (restored height approx. 15m), such as a ritual facility, watchtower, lighthouse, or astronomical observation facility.
- Ingenious Land Use: Residential areas, burial areas, and waste disposal areas were functionally separated, indicating planned land use.
2. Developed Technology and Trade Network
The Jomon people were not simple hunter-gatherers but possessed advanced technology and built extensive trade networks.
- Elaborate Pottery Production: The technique of producing Jomon pottery with complex patterns indicates the accumulation and transmission of knowledge over a long period.
- Evidence of Wide-Area Trade: Obsidian (from Hokkaido, Nagano Prefecture, etc.) and jade (from Niigata Prefecture) found at the site were transported from sources hundreds of kilometers away, suggesting the existence of an organized trading system.
- Architectural Technology: The construction of large pillar-supported buildings involved advanced planning and technical skills, such as precise pillar placement based on surveying and charring the base of pillars to prevent decay.
3. Complexity of Social Structure
Although Jomon society was traditionally considered egalitarian, recent research suggests the possibility of certain social hierarchies and role specialization. (However, it is thought to be different from the clear hierarchical societies of the Yayoi period and later.)
- Possibility of Specialized Craftspeople: Some elaborate crafts were likely made by people with specialized skills, suggesting functional differentiation.
- Possibility of Ritual Leaders: Tombs with special burial methods and grave goods (e.g., jade beads) suggest the existence of leaders who held religious or political roles.
- Organization of Communal Work: The construction of large buildings and the overall management of the settlement required the mobilization of many people and resources, suggesting the existence of a social organization capable of making this possible.
Unsolved Mysteries
While research on the Sannai Maruyama Site progresses, many mysteries remain unsolved.
1. Why Did Large-Scale Settlements Develop in the Tohoku Region?
There is a fundamental question of why such a stable, large-scale settlement could be maintained for such a long period in the Tohoku region, which experiences particularly harsh winters even within the Japanese archipelago.
- Climate Change and Settlement Dynamics: Detailed research is underway on the relationship between Jomon period climate change (from warm to cold periods) and the prosperity and decline of the Sannai Maruyama Site.
- Resource Management System: It is believed that there was a system for the sustainable use of food resources, such as the managed cultivation of chestnut groves, but the specific details of the management methods are still unknown.
- Population Maintenance Mechanism: The social and ecological mechanisms that allowed a population estimated to be over 500 people (some estimates suggest several hundred) at its peak to be sustained for about 1700 years based on hunting and gathering remain a major mystery.
2. The Reality of the Spiritual World
Although many ritual artifacts have been excavated, much about the Jomon people’s spiritual world and religious views remains speculative.
- Meaning of Shakoki-dogu (Goggle-Eyed Clay Figurines): There are various theories about the meaning and use of the characteristic “Shakoki-dogu” (prayers for fertility, healing, representation of spirits, etc.), but none are confirmed.
- Possibility of Animal Rituals: The discovery of animal bones, such as bears, in specific arrangements suggests the possibility of animal rituals or a special regard for certain animals, but the specific content and whether it can be called “bear worship” are unknown.
- Possibility of Astronomical Observation: It has been suggested that astronomical knowledge might have been used in the settlement layout or building orientation, but there is no conclusive evidence.
3. Mystery of the Sudden Decline
Around 4,200 years ago, the Sannai Maruyama Site suddenly shrank in scale and was eventually abandoned. Various hypotheses have been proposed for the reason, but a definitive answer has not yet been found.
- Climate Change Theory: It is suggested that the global climate change that occurred around 4,200 years ago (a cooling event known as the 4.2ka event) was a major factor in the abandonment of the settlement. However, it is thought that complex factors, including climate change, associated environmental changes (such as fluctuations in food resources), and population pressure, were involved.
- Possibility of Epidemics: Due to the relatively dense population, the possibility that the spread of infectious diseases made maintaining the settlement difficult is also being considered.
- Environmental Change/Resource Depletion Theory: Changes in the surrounding environment due to long-term settlement or overuse of important resources like chestnuts are also considered possible factors.
Prospects for Research Using Latest Technology
Currently, research using the latest scientific technology is underway to unravel the mysteries of the Sannai Maruyama Site.
- DNA Analysis: DNA analysis of excavated human bones and plant/animal remains is advancing the understanding of Jomon people’s genetic characteristics, population dynamics, and the details of the plants and animals they utilized.
- Isotope Analysis: Isotope analysis of organic matter remaining in human bones and pottery is revealing details about the Jomon diet, migration patterns, and pottery usage.
- Digital Reconstruction and Utilization: Virtual reality (VR) technology is being used to recreate spaces like the interior of the large pillar-supported building, developing content that allows visitors to experience what it might have been like. High-definition 3D modeling of excavated artifacts is also progressing.
Sannai Maruyama Site Tourist Information
At the Sannai Maruyama Site, in addition to viewing the ruins, visitors can learn about excavated artifacts and Jomon culture at the adjacent “Jomon Jiyukan” museum. Various hands-on events are also held seasonally (please check the official website for the latest information).
- Year-round: Guided site tours, hands-on activities like making magatama beads.
- Summer (around August annually): Parent-child experience events for summer vacation, etc.
- Autumn (around October annually): Sannai Maruyama Site “Jomon Festival” (stage events, experience booths, etc.)
These events offer a unique opportunity to actually experience Jomon life and technology and engage with the academic mysteries.
Conclusion
The Sannai Maruyama Site is not just an archaeological site but also a “message from antiquity” that offers many insights for modern society. The way of life realized by the Jomon people, including sustainable resource use, coexistence with nature, and community structures, may hold hints for many challenges we face today.
Although many mysteries remain at the Sannai Maruyama Site, it continues to stimulate our imagination and spirit of inquiry precisely because of them. Future research advancements will likely unravel more mysteries. And at the same time, new mysteries will surely be discovered. The Jomon mystery has only just begun.
References and information sources are based on the latest academic papers and official information from Aomori Prefecture, etc.
