The Mysterious People of the North Sea

Moyoro Shell Mound at the mouth of the Abashiri River flowing into the Sea of Okhotsk,There was a village of people who lived here about 1300 years ago called "Okhotsk culture".

Moyoro Shell Mound Museum (2013) by Abashiri Municipal MuseumAbashiri City

Moyoro Shell Mound Museum

Moyoro Shell Mound Museum at the mouth of the Abashiri River flowing into the Sea of Okhotsk

Ancient dwellings and tombs, Abashiri Municipal Museum, 2013, From the collection of: Abashiri City
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excavated shell mound, Abashiri Municipal Museum, 2013, From the collection of: Abashiri City
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In the ruins, you can feel the appearance of the village 1,300 years ago from the ruins of the pit dwellings that still remain as large hollows and the restoration of the tombs. Inside the museum, you can see the actual shell mounds that were excavated up close.

hunter of the northern sea (2013) by Abashiri Municipal MuseumAbashiri City

Mysterious ancient marine people

Moyoro shell mounds were left behind by the northern culture known as the "Okhotsk culture."The ruins of large pit dwellings over 10 meters in height, graves where the heads of the dead were covered with earthenware, numerous hunting tools made of bone horns that show that they 

pottery of ancient Okhotsk culture (2013) by Abashiri Municipal MuseumAbashiri City

Pottery of ancient Okhotsk culture

Their way of life is called "Okhotsk culture". It was unique.

People worshiped bears as gods (2013) by Abashiri Municipal MuseumAbashiri City

Bear skull enshrined in a dwelling

The Moyoro people worshipped animals as gods and offered prayers to them.They had altars set up in the back of their houses and left behind many st

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