Why have fossils of ancient humans been discovered in Okinawa?

Inside the case in front of you is a reconstructed model of a Minatogawa native that lived on Okinawa Island during the Paleolithic Age, around 20,000 years ago. This reconstruction was based on a Minatogawa man’s skeleton displayed on the backside of this exhibit. Only in Okinawa can you find such a pristinely preserved paleolithic skeleton. Why do you think that is? Here’s a hint: Ryukyu limestone. You can find many grottos and fissures in the regions where limestone is abundant. Much of the limestone inside these places is composed of coral and other components rich in calcium carbonate. This ensures that bones and other sediments that fall into the limestone grottos don’t become acidic and erode away.

This Minatogawa Man - the first in a series of four - is an adult estimated to measure 153 cm in height. Models two through four are shorter adult females estimated to measure 150 cm, and were found alongside him. Their shoulders are narrow and, though their upper bodies are slender, their bottom halves are stocky by comparison, suggesting that they may have been highly active hunter-gatherers that lived off the hills and dales.

Recent research has attempted to extract DNA samples from the Minatogawa people’s bones, and hopes are high that we will uncover even more information. And because the Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum’s models reflect the latest advances in research at all times, we can also expect them to dramatically change over time.

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