More from Graham Hancock’s book, Underworld:
The Jomon people were the earliest inhabitants of Japan. It is thought that, when later people arrived, perhaps from Korea around 2,000 years ago, they intermarried and became Japanese. There is no indication that the Jomon people were killed. Some may also have been driven to the north, where they are today the Ainu.
The earliest pottery in the world was created by the Jomon, and has been dated to 16,500 years ago. They were long thought to have been simply hunter-gatherers, but they appear to have made a transition from that stage of culture since permanent planned settlements have been found extending as far back as 10,000 years ago.
Graham Hancock mentions evidence that they were growing rice as early as 12,000 years ago.
Off the coast of Japan, underwater, have been found many extraordinary formations which look like giant temples. Archaeologists and divers are quite unable to decide conclusively whether these are man-made or natural. There are, on land, stone circles, megaliths and a number of stone structures left by the Jomon which, rather than being either natural or man-made, seem to be both—they seem to be natural rocks, placed and arranged by people.
Interestingly, this almost reminds one of Japanese rock gardens, and the art of arranging nature in a way that brings out its inherent grace and beauty, which is uniquely Japanese.
Apparently, huge stones are still revered today and are called iwakuru. Busloads of tourists still visit these stones in Japan, I guess with cameras in hand.
The Jomon seem not to have left their ancient islands.
Photo: (C) Zastavkin / Dreamstime.com
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