Iha Shell Mound

File:Iha_Shell_Mound.jpg

The {{Nihongo|Iha Shell Mound|伊波貝塚|Iha Kaidzuka}} is the site of the remains of an ancient settlement on Okinawa Island. Located in the Iha district of Uruma City, south of Ishikawa, the site sits on a large limestone fault slope, and dates from the late Shellmound period of Okinawan archaeology, coinciding with the late Jōmon period, c. 2500 – 1000 BC. The shell mound is approximately {{Convert|60|cm|in}} thick and covers an area of {{convert|150|m2}}.{{cite encyclopedia|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Japan |title=Iha Shell Mound |url=http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ |accessdate=2014-02-03 |year=2014 |publisher=Shogakukan |location=Tokyo |oclc=56431036 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070825113418/http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ |archivedate=2007-08-25 }} The site was first discovered in 1920 by Ōyama Kashiwa, confirming that Okinawa was settled by ancient peoples, and is one of only a few fully excavated shell mounds in Okinawa.{{cite book|author=Pearson, Richard|title=Multicultural Japan: Paleolithic to Postmodern|publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=1996|pages=95–101|url=http://ebooks.cambridge.org/chapter.jsf?bid=CBO9781139084901&cid=CBO9781139084901A019}} The site includes remains of fish and animal bones, earthen and stoneware, and goods made out of horn.{{cite encyclopedia|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Japan |title=Ishikawa |url=http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ |accessdate=2014-02-03 |year=201 |publisher=Shogakukan |location=Tokyo |oclc=56431036 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070825113418/http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ |archivedate=2007-08-25 }}