A remarkable achievement after 30 years! 377 items, including "sekibo" (stone rods), Jomon period prayer tools excavated in Miyagawa-cho, Hida City, have been designated as National Important Cultural Properties! They have been recognized for their high academic value as materials that clarify the manufacturing process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What significant archaeological discoveries have been made in Miyagawa-cho, Hida City?

A: 377 items, including 'sekibo' (stone rods) and Jomon period prayer tools, have been excavated from the Shima Ruins and Shioya Kinsei Shrine Ruins.

Q: What is the status of these excavated items after their discovery?

A: These 377 items have been recommended for designation as National Important Cultural Properties (Art and Craftworks) by the Council for Cultural Affairs.

Q: Why are the Shima Ruins and Shioya Kinsei Shrine Ruins considered important for understanding stone rod production?

A: These sites are rare and clearly preserve traces of the production of 'sekibo' (stone rods), a representative Jomon period ritual object, from approximately 4,500 to 3,500 years ago.

Q: What specific types of artifacts were excavated and are included in the designation?

A: The designation includes 171 stone rods, 113 tools (83 hammer stones, 30 whetstones), 24 flakes, 11 raw stones, 53 Jomon pottery and clay products, and 5 other stone tools.

Q: What makes these excavated artifacts particularly valuable from an academic perspective?

A: They are recognized for their high academic value as 'standard materials' that systematically show the transition process of stone rod forms and reveal advanced processing techniques, including materials from each production stage.