The Jomon (rope) People

There is a huge park near my house. It has miles (kilometers) of walking trails but it also has an outdoor museum as well. It features the loomed cloth, pottery, and houses of the Jomon or Rope People of Japan.

The Jomon make up part of the ancestry of the Japanese people
(see this article). They are mainly known for their loomed cloth and their pottery with rope patterns. The exhibit is very nice and you can try your hand at looming the same way they did 10,000 years ago and you can tour a hut built in their style. The hut comes complete with guide and fire in the fire pit. They look like thatched teepees or funny little mushrooms.
They are built into the ground and are well made. The circular ledge holds firewood. All the beams are held together with rope. Here is Mrs. T, Sayaka San and my Mother-in-Law patiently sitting in the smoke while I take pictures!