We were here

Kawauchi Campus, where we spend our daily lives, was once home to many people in the past, and the traces of their existence still remain underground. While it is impossible to notice on the asphalt-paved roads, if you look closely at the soil, you will find various objects. Some were dropped by people alive today, but occasionally, items from long ago appear. These are revealed on the surface by chance—perhaps unearthed by moles or washed out by the rain.

In our archaeological excavations, we dig through the earth layer by layer to search for evidence of how people lived in the past. At Kawauchi Campus, we have discovered remains of Edo-period buildings, such as foundation stones and postholes, as well as the remnants of wells and ponds. From these sites, a wide variety of daily artifacts, such as ceramics and geta (wooden clogs), have been unearthed. These objects seem to speak to us, saying, "We were here."

The Archaeological Research Office coordinates with the university’s development projects to minimize the impact on historical sites, conducting excavations only when the removal of these locations is unavoidable.

Once an excavation is complete, we proceed with the task of organizing the unearthed features and artifacts, eventually publishing an Archaeological Site Report. No two archaeological sites are the same; each is a unique existence rooted in its specific location. We preserve these records for future generations in the form of these reports.

In this exhibition, the artifacts found in past excavations are displayed in reverse chronological order, starting with the more recent periods. Through these unearthed objects, we hope these artifacts will give you a glimpse into the lives of those who once lived on this very ground.

October 2025

Supervised by KANNO Tomonori (Archaeological Research office on the Campus, Tohoku University)