This episode we are diving into the archaeology of Izumo, focusing on Izumo as well as other areas in the “Izumo Cultural Zone” that shared many common archaeological features. Here in Part 1 we’ll talk about the geography of the cultural zone and some of the unique aspects of Izumo, including its architecture and the peculiar “four-cornered burial mound” that is such a distinctive shape and influences later mounded tombs in the area. We’ll look at a few of the Yayoi settlements and finds, and take it right up to the end of the Yayoi, during the reign of Queen Himiko.

Below is a map that may be helpful for following along with the narrative or looking up various places. Viewing the terrain can be particularly helpful. Also, in many cases you can zoom in via the satellite features and see some of the settlements and tombs that are still there or that have been reconstructed.

Areas of the Izumo Cultural Zone:

Western Izumo and the Izumo: Including Mt. Sanbe to modern Izumo city, between the Kando and Hii rivers, including the Izumo Plain.
Eastern Izumo: Modern Matsue on the Ou plain between lake Shinji and Nakaumi, and Yasugi on the Nogi Plain, south of Nakaumi.
Western Tottori: Modern Yonago, on the Hino River, west of Mt. Daisen.
Central Tottori: Modern Kurayoshi, on the Tenjin River, east of Mt. Daisen
Eastern Tottori: Modern Tottori on the Chiyo River.
Koshi: Hokuriku Region, including modern Fukui, Ishikawa, and Toyama prefecture.
Oki Islands: Including Dōgojima, Nakanoshima, Nishinoshima, and Chiburijima

In addition, you may want to reference Miyoshi, in modern Hiroshima Prefecture.

For a better look at those four cornered mounds, here is a model and information plaque from the Rekihaku Museum—the National Museum of Japanese History in Sakura. You can see the distinctive shape, and the fact that there are multiple burials inside each mound, as opposed to later mounded tombs that are usually for only one or two occupants.

References

-, - (Visited 6/13/2020) Archaeological Museum of Kojindani. http://www.kojindani.jp/iseki/index.html
-, - (Visited 6/13/2020). 四隅突出型墳丘墓. http://houki.yonago-kodaisi.com/F-K-kohun-4sumi.html - Visited 6/13/2020
De Boer, Elisabeth; Yang, Melinda A.; Kawagoe, Aileen; Barnes, Gina L. (2020). Japan considered from the hypothesis of farmer/language spread. Evolutionary Human Sciences (2020), 2, e13, pp1-20. http://doi.org/10.1017/ehs.2020.7
TORRANCE, Richard (2016). The Infrastructure of the Gods: Izumo in the Yayoi and Kofun Periods. Japan Review, (29), 3-38. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/44143124
Nojima, Hisashi (2015). Emergence and Development of Burial Mounds in the Yayoi Period, as noted in excavations at the Satadani, Satadao Burial Mound Group, Hiroshima Prefecture <Research and Studies at the Department of Archaeology: Article>. Hiroshima University bulletin of the Department of Archaeology, Issue 7, p1-12. http://doi.org/10.15027/38458
Carlsqvist, Anders (2010). The Land Pulling Myth and Some Aspects of Historic Reality. Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 37/2: 185-222. Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture. Accessed 4/22/2020 at https://nirc.nanzan-u.ac.jp/nfile/3016
Sakamoto, Toyoharu (2010) 。『矢野遺跡: 新内藤川改修工事に伴う埋蔵文化財調査報告書』。出雲市の文化財10。出雲市教育委員会。http://doi.org/10.24484/sitereports.19709
Kidder, J. Edward (2007), Himiko and Japan's Elusive Chiefdom of Yamatai: Archaeology, History, and Mythology. ISBN: 978-0824830359
Harada, Toshiteru, et al (2003) 。『板屋III遺跡　2　縄文時代～近世の複合遺跡の調査』。志津見ダム建設予定地内埋蔵文化財発掘調査報告書。 http://doi.org/10.24484/sitereports.2383
松井、潔 (2003)。「四隅突出型墳丘墓」。鳥取県埋蔵文化財センター。http://www.pref.tottori.lg.jp/secure/76301/yosumi.pdf
Piggott, J. (1997). The Emergence of Japance Kingship
Piggott, J. (1989). Sacral Kingship and Confederacy in Early Izumo. Monumenta Nipponica, 44(1), 45-74. doi:10.2307/2384698
Piggott, Joan (1989). Sacral Kingship and Confederacy in Early Izumo. Monumenta Nipponica, 44(1), 45-74. doi:10.2307/2384698