Mawaki Noto Shell Mound
Mawaki Shell Mound · Mawaki Jomon Site Noto
Jomon Early 7000 → Late Jomon 3000 BP·Jomon Hokuriku Noto — Mawaki dolphin hunters·🇯🇵 Japan, Chubu, Ishikawa Prefecture, Noto Peninsula, Noto Town, Mawaki district on Sea of Japan Noto Bay inlet, Hokuriku, Japan
About
About Mawaki Noto Shell Mound
Mawaki Noto Shell Mound — Jomon early to late massive shell midden with dolphin remains (c.7000–3000 BP) on Noto Peninsula bay at Mawaki, Hokuriku, excavated 1980s–90s. Mawaki revealed 2.5-m stratified midden with 300+ human burials (one of Japan's largest Jomon cemeteries), Mawaki pottery style, drilled deer teeth, dolphin bones (drive catch), and wooden haniwa-like grave goods. Noto's warm current allowed dolphin hunting and bay foraging; Mawaki dolphin ritual (14 dolphin bones per burial) proves Jomon maritime specialization. Front-and-back circular mound later.
Why it mattersJapan's largest Jomon cemetery with dolphin ritual — maritime Jomon front-and-back mound antecedent
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Dolphin drive — specialized hunt or stranded capture?
Theories
- 01Noto Bay as Hokuriku maritime heartland
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.7000 BP Early Jomon Mawaki style inception
- Period
- Jomon Early 7000 → Late Jomon 3000 BP
- Culture
- Jomon Hokuriku Noto — Mawaki dolphin hunters
- Builders
- Jomon bay fishers of Noto Peninsula
- Purpose
- Bay dolphin-hunting cemetery-midden demonstrating Hokuriku maritime ritual
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c.7000 BP
Early Jomon Mawaki dolphin hunting starts
c.4000 BP
Cemetery peaks with 300 burials and bone grave goods
1980s
Board rescue reveals dolphin ritual
On the ground
Structures & features
37.3000° N · 137.1000° E · 12 m · 2 mapped features
Southern Dolphin Ritual Cemetery
cemetery300-burial Jomon cemetery with dolphin bone offerings on southern midden terrace
37.2995° N · 137.1005° ENorthern Shell Midden Stratification
midden2.5-m Anadara shell strata with Mawaki pottery sequence on northern bay slope
37.3005° N · 137.0995° E