Hatten Site
八天遺跡 | |
  Hatten Site  Hatten Site (Japan) | |
| Location | Kitakami, Iwate, Japan |
|---|---|
| Region | Tōhoku region |
| Coordinates | 39°19′44″N 141°09′26″E / 39.32889°N 141.15722°E |
| Altitude | 270 m (886 ft) |
| Type | settlement |
| Area | 2 hectares |
| History | |
| Founded | 2000 BC to 1200 AD |
| Periods | middle Jōmon |
| Site notes | |
| Ownership | National Historic Site |
| Public access | Yes |
Hatten site (八天遺跡, Hatten iseki) is a Japanese National Historic Site located in the city of Kitakami, Iwate in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan.[1]
The Hatten site is the remains of a Jōmon period settlement located on a river terrace on the eastern fringe of the Kitakami Basin overlooking the Kitakami River. The site has been excavated on five occasions, with remnants from the Japanese Paleolithic era found in the southeastern corner of the site, and the foundations of four pit dwellings from the Heian period found in the central area, indicating continuous inhabitation for several thousand years.
Most of the remains date from the middle to late Jōmon era. The village contained a central hall with a dimensions of approximately 17 meters in length and 8 meters in width, which had been reconstructed on at least eight occasions, indicating that it was a building for public or ceremonial use. On the slopes to the east and west sides of the village were middens containing a large number of earthenware fragments.
Of especial note were fragments of clay ears, noses and mouths, with holes indicating that they were connected by strings. These are thought be part of grave masks as they were found in a stone-lined pit tomb on the site. These artifacts were given the status of Important Cultural Properties by the national government in 1992.
