Excavations on the former website of the British Embassy in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward have uncovered the stays of a Yayoi interval settlement, in line with interviews with Chiyoda Ward officers. The website is being redeveloped by Mitsubishi Estate Residence and others, and to this point 28 pit dwellings from the Yayoi and Jomon durations have been recognized.
However, there aren’t any plans to protect the archaeological website, which shall be backfilled after excavations and a condominium constructed on the land. No on-site briefing shall be offered to the general public, underscoring the difficulties in using ruins present in central Tokyo.
According to Chiyoda Ward and others, Yayoi interval pit dwellings courting from the early 1st to 2nd century AD had been found on the location as of late October. Three Jomon interval dwellings had been additionally discovered, one containing shellfish stays. Additionally, 4 extra dwellings from unsure eras had been recognized, together with Yayoi and Jomon pottery fragments, Early Modern interval water pipes and wells, and basements.
Excavations will proceed till March 2024. Of the approx. 7,700 sq meter website, solely about 3,700 sq meters have been investigated to this point, which means extra ruins should still be uncovered.
Professor Ideshi Ishikawa of Meiji University (Archaeology) remarked: “I was surprised to find ruins at the heart of Tokyo. Particularly for the early Yayoi period, settlements with this number of dwellings have hardly been found in the southern Kanto region before. These shed light on lifestyles at the time and are academically invaluable discoveries.”
While Chiyoda Ward regards these ruins as a serious discover, they don’t presently qualify for designation as a nationally protected historic website. The present coverage is to doc the excavations then re-cover the location. Consultations had been held between the Ward and Mitsubishi Estate Residence on preserving a part of the location or holding public briefings after asserting the invention, however the firm didn’t agree and these plans had been deserted. Developers’ and landowners’ needs take precedence concerning remedy of excavated ruins, and related instances usually are not unusual.
The prices of archaeological surveys are in precept borne by builders, and on this case Mitsubishi Estate Residence is paying bills. A spokesperson said that they’re “responding in consultation with authorities based on laws and regulations.”
Going ahead, the ruins shall be backfilled and building of the condominiums commenced on schedule after their survey is accomplished.
Source: Mainichi