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Figure 1 | Progress in Earth and Planetary Science

Figure 1

From: Heavy metal pollution in Ancient Nara, Japan, during the eighth century

Figure 1

Location of Ancient Nara in Japan, with inset showing soil sampling sites and other relevant locations in and around the city. The streets of Ancient Nara had ditches on both sides. These ditches functioned as drains or sewers, carrying polluted water into the main rivers. People may have indiscriminately disposed of waste materials in such ditches, occasionally even human skulls.

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