Japan. The monolithic Jomon culture dominates over ten thousand years of foraging history: from 14,000 BC to 300 BC, spanning long periods preceding the advent of rice cultivation in Japan. It is documented by thousands of archaeological sites, discovered primarily in the late 20th and 21st centuries. Centuries of settlement nucleation and dispersal have come to light, with wooden and stone monuments, ritual traditions, opulent burials, specialized crafts, and ceramic, wood, and lacquer arts. A long and complex history of Japan’s flourishing pre-agricultural past has been uncovered.
