Roxby Midden Dolmen
Harappan (2600–1900 BCE)·Harappan·🇯🇵 Iwate Prefecture, Japan
About
About Roxby Midden Dolmen
Roxby Midden Dolmen in Iwate Prefecture, Japan is a Harappan (2600–1900 BCE) megalithic attributed to Harappan culture. Systematically investigated through systematic survey and test trenching, it presents a fortified nucleus with workshop zone. Construction employs mudbrick on stone socle and demonstrates craft specialization. Peer-reviewed reports and georeferenced plans verify location and chronology.
Why it mattersKey Harappan megalithic with stratified sequence and regional significance.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Social hierarchy and elite control
- 02Ritual use and symbolic landscape
Theories
- 01Elite residence and administrative centre
- 02Defensive refuge and tribal capital
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. 2684 BCE
- Period
- Harappan (2600–1900 BCE)
- Culture
- Harappan
- Purpose
- Defensive and administrative
- Excavation
- Excavated
c. 2684 BCE
Initial construction and primary occupation
c. 1884 BCE
Major expansion and monumental elaboration
c. 546 BCE
Rebuilding and fortification phase
2018
Modern archaeological excavation and survey
On the ground
Structures & features
40.3947° N · 141.6907° E · 2626 m · 4 mapped features
Gateway
gatewayOutlier feature with cup marks
40.3928° N · 141.6882° EStela Alignment
shrineAncillary field system associated with main monument
40.3969° N · 141.6900° EShrine
entrancePrimary megalithic at Roxby Midden Dolmen — platform mound
40.3961° N · 141.6901° EShrine 4
enclosureBurial zone — rock-cut chambers
40.3928° N · 141.6884° E