Fourth-Century Ruins Discovered in Japan

GOSE, JAPAN—Archaeologists have discovered remains of pit houses and ditches that indicated boundaries at a site dating to the fourth century A.D. in Japan’s Nara Prefecture known as the Nakanishi ruins. They believe that the newly discovered site may have been constructed in concert with the nearby Akitsu ruins, and note that the combined site would be one of the largest settlements in Japan known from the period. “The site occupies a prominent area,” said Fumiaki Imao, a senior researcher at the Archaeological Institute of Kashihara, told the Asahi Shimbun, adding that the structures discovered may have been used for rituals controlled by the early Yamato imperial court. Little is known of the workings of the court during this period, and the researchers hope their excavation will offer new insights. To read about a figurine discovered in Japan with markings thought to represent tattoos, see “Dogu Figurine.”