Togariishi ruins - Togariishi ruins

The remains of a settlement from the middle Jomon period are located in Toyohira Higashidake, Chino City, Nagano Prefecture. It is spread out over a strip-shaped plateau at an altitude of 1,070 meters on the western foot of Mt. Yatsugatake. A 1.1 meter high triangular pyramid-shaped "pointed stone" with polishing marks has been known since ancient times, and the site's name comes from this. Miyasaka Eiichi (1887-1975), who was treated as an eccentric by the villagers, continued excavation surveys on his own from the mid-1930s, and attracted attention when he discovered numerous artifacts and the remains of pit dwellings and hearths. Subsequent investigations at the Yosukeone ruins on the opposite bank revealed a typical settlement structure with a central space as a plaza, marking the beginning of research into Jomon period settlement sites in Japan, and together with the Idojiri ruins and others, the foothills of the Yatsugatake Mountains became one of Japan's most densely concentrated areas of ruins. The artifacts, particularly the gorgeous and magnificent pottery including the deep bowl with snake body decoration, are spectacular. In 1952 (Showa 27), it was designated a Special Historic Site. Chino City Togariishi Archaeological Museum is located nearby.

[Shoichi Higuchi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

長野県茅野(ちの)市豊平(とよひら)東嶽(ひがしだけ)にある縄文時代中期の集落遺跡。八(やつ)ヶ岳西山麓(さんろく)標高1070メートルの帯状台地に展開する。研磨痕(こん)の残る高さ1.1メートルの三角錐(すい)形の「尖石」が古くから知られ、遺跡名はこれに由来する。村人からも変人扱いされた宮坂英弌(ふさかず)（1887―1975）が、昭和10年代なかばから独力で発掘調査を続け、多数の遺物や竪穴(たてあな)住居址(し)・炉址を検出して注目されてきた。その後さらに対岸にある与助尾根(よすけおね)遺跡の調査により、中央空間を広場とする典型的集落構成が露呈され、わが国における縄文時代集落址研究の嚆矢(こうし)となり、井戸尻(いどじり)遺跡などとともに八ヶ岳山麓は日本を代表する遺跡密集地域となった。遺物、とりわけ蛇身装飾付深鉢をはじめとする豪華雄渾(ゆうこん)な土器群は圧巻である。1952年（昭和27）特別史跡に指定された。近くに茅野市尖石考古館がある。

［樋口昇一］

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