Nineteenth-century Japanese shell-midden archaeology

Record summary

Edward S. Morse’s 1877 investigation of the Omori shell mound is often treated as a foundational moment in Japanese archaeology. The excavation documented shell deposits, animal remains, artifacts and human activity, helping establish scientific approaches to Japan’s prehistoric past and challenging simplistic accounts of cultural development. The lead is especially useful for studying nineteenth-century field practice, colonial-era scientific networks and the construction of the “prehistoric Japanese” category. Interpretations of the midden’s chronology, function and population history have changed with later research.