Treasure of Okinoshima

During the archeological excavation of Okinoshima that took place as part of the efforts to restore Munakata Taisha (carried out over three stages between 1954 and 1971, the number of votive offerings discovered rose to 80,000 pieces, all of which have been designated national treasures.The Island of Okinoshima is an exceptional repository of records of early ritual sites which emerged in the 4th century AD and continued until the end of the 9th century AD, at a time of intense exchanges between the polities in the Japanese Archipelago, in the Korean Peninsula, and on the Asian continent.The votive offerings credibly reflect 500 years of ritual practices held on the Island.This database introduces important artifacts excavated from Okinoshima ritual archeaological sites.Here we introduce some of the representative relics excavated at Okinoshima along with explanations of them.