Jike Site
Jike Iseki (寺家遺跡, Jike Iseki) is an archaeological site located in what is now part of the city of Hakui, Ishikawa in the Hokuriku region of Japan. The site was designated a National Historic Site of Japan in 2012.[1]
寺家遺跡 | |
Jike Site Jike Site (Japan) | |
Location | Hakui, Ishikawa, Japan |
---|---|
Region | Hokuriku region |
Coordinates | 36°55′12″N 136°46′21″E |
Type | Settlement |
Site notes | |
Ownership | National Historic Site |
Public access | Yes |
Overview
The site consists of a number of ruins of a Jōmon and Yayoi period settlement, overlaid with Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines from the Nara and Heian periods, buried in the coastal sand dunes in the Terajima-chō and Yanagida-chō neighbourhoods of the city of Hakui at the base of the Noto Peninsula. The ruins were discovered during the construction of a highway in 1976, and after several years of excavation by Hakui City and Noto Prefectural archaeologists, the large scope of the site and its historical importance was gradually recognised.
The site included the foundations of numerous buildings, and a ritual location where a large bonfire was used in ceremonies. Artefacts included large numbers of earthenware and ceramic shards, bronze mirrors, swords and wooden tags, some with inscriptions. Many of these items indicated a strong connection between Japan and the kingdom of Balhae on the opposite coast of the Sea of Japan.
References
- "寺家遺跡" (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs.
External links
- Ishikawa Prefectural information home page (in Japanese)
- Hakui city official site (in Japanese)