Shiraho Saonetabaru Cave Ruins
Shiraho Saonetabaru Cave Ruins (白保竿根田原洞穴遺跡 Shiraho Saonetabaru Dōketsu Iseki) is an paleoanthropological site located on Ishigaki Island of the Yaeyama Islands of Japan. Shiraho Saonetabaru is a limestone cave.[1]
It was discovered in 2007 when plans for the New Ishigaki Airport were being developed.[1] Remains of human heads, feet, arms were found, in all 9 bones, by the Okinawa Limestone Cave Association.[2]
Researchers from the University of the Ryukyus and University of Tokyo succeeded in radiocarbon dating three out of five of the bones tested. The three bones yielded the following dates: (20,030-18,100 BP), (22,890-22,400 BP) and (24,990-24,210 BP).[1] This would make these bones the oldest ever found in Japanese territory, surpassing those of the Hamakita Site of Shizuoka's Negata Cave, which were found to date to some 14,000 years ago.[3]
References
- 1 2 3 Kaifu, Yousuke; et al. (2015). "Pleistocene Seafaring and Colonization of the Ryukyu Islands, Southwestern Japan". In Kaifu, Yousuke; et al. Emergence and Diversity of Modern Human Behavior in Paleolithic Asia. Texas A&M University Press.
- ↑ "石器使わなかった旧石器人？ 石垣島・白保竿根田原洞穴". Asahi Shinbun (in Japanese). Tokyo, Japan: Asahi Shimbun Company Shinbun. 6 Nov 2011. Retrieved 2013-04-01.
- ↑ http://www.okinawatimes.co.jp/article/2010-02-04_2650