Kiusu Earthwork Burial Circles
Kiusu Doubutsu · Kiusu Shuko Bochi Gun
Final Jomon 1200–800 BCE·Jomon Final Hokkaido·🇯🇵 Hokkaido, Chitose City, Kiusu hill on Ushiku River terrace, eastern suburbs of Chitose, Japan
About
About Kiusu Earthwork Burial Circles
Late Jomon collective burial banked circles (1200–800 BCE) on terrace above Ushiku River at Chitose — 9 embanked circular enclosures diameter 12–75 m built of external ditch and internal bank housing central stone paving and collective pits with commingled human bone, red ochre and grave lacquerware. Kiusu 2 (75 m) is Japan's largest earthwork burial circle; UNESCO 2021 component 1632-015 demonstrates Late Jomon circular earthwork tradition unique to Hokkaido.
Why it mattersLargest Jomon earthwork burial demonstrates Final Jomon collective burial intensification before Yayoi; ochre and lacquer preservation unique.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01How many individuals per 75 m circle — 10 or 100?
Theories
- 01Hokkaido–Tohoku dichotomy: earth vs stone circles
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.1200–800 BCE Final Jomon
- Period
- Final Jomon 1200–800 BCE
- Culture
- Jomon Final Hokkaido
- Builders
- Jomon Hokkaido burial communities
- Purpose
- Collective ancestors' banked cemetery with ochre and lacquer ritual
- Abandoned
- c.800 BCE with Yayoi intrusion
- Rediscovered
- 1972 housing construction survey; excavated 1979–
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c.1200 BCE
First small 12 m banked circles dug
c.1000 BCE
Great Kiusu 2 75 m circle built with ditch 2 m deep
On the ground
Structures & features
42.8860° N · 141.7170° E · 30 m · 1 mapped feature
Kiusu 2 — Great Circle 75 m
earthwork circleBanked circle with ditch and pebble floor
42.8862° N · 141.7172° E
Gallery