3 The Jomon Period on Hachijojima
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Ruins Where Jomon Culture from the Mainland was Introduced
The Kurawa Ruins are the second oldest ruins on Hachijojima, believed to date from the end of the Early Jomon period to the beginning of the Middle Jomon period (about 5,000 to 5,500 years ago). The Kurawa people interacted with people from the northern Izu Islands and the mainland, obtaining Jomon pottery and obsidian (from Kozushima). Among the pottery, items from the Hokuriku and Kansai regions have also been found, suggesting a deep connection with the wider inland areas as well. They lived for 200 to 300 years, hunting wild boar, fishing, and gathering nuts and wild vegetables.
Discovery of One of the Largest Jomon Settlements in the Izu Islands
In 1977, during the expansion of a hot spring pool at the Hachijo Onsen Hotel – where the Yubama Ruins had also been found – many pottery and stone tools were discovered. Excavations were carried out nine times starting the following year (1978). While Jomon period dwelling sites in the Izu Islands usually consist of only one or two houses, six were confirmed at the Kurawa Ruins, revealing that it formed one of the largest settlements in the Izu Islands during the Jomon period.
The Life of the Kurawa People as Seen in the Artifacts
The discovery of many animal bones, such as those of dogs and wild boars, and shark teeth, suggests that the Kurawa people brought dogs and young wild boars (uribo) to the island in dugout canoes, and hunted the grown boars, fished with hooks made from animal bones, and gathered nuts for their livelihood. Three human skeletons were also found, two of which are believed to be female, indicating that not only men but also women participated in the difficult voyage across the Kuroshio Current to Hachijojima.