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Figures and Animals as Decoration on Jomon Pottery

  • Image of "Jar with Spout and Human Figure Ornament, From Moheji, Hokuto-shi, Hokkaido, Jomon period, 2000 - 1000 BC (Important Cultural Property)"

    Jar with Spout and Human Figure Ornament, From Moheji, Hokuto-shi, Hokkaido, Jomon period, 2000 - 1000 BC (Important Cultural Property)

    Japanese Archaeology and Special Exhibition (Heiseikan) Japanese Archaeology Gallery
    July 9, 2013 (Tue) - October 27, 2013 (Sun)

    One of the tools most produced by people in the Jomon period (ca. 11,000 BC – ca. 5th century BC) was pottery vessels for cooking. Well-known examples of Jomon-period ritual implements are dogu (clay figurines) as well as ceramic objects in the shape of animals; however, there are also ritual pottery vessels with people- and animal-shaped decorations.

    It appears that pottery vessels with this type of decoration began being made in the early Jomon period. In the mid-Jomon period many vessels were made in the Chubu and Kanto regions of Japan, while from the late-middle Jomon period to the final Jomon period, many were produced in northeastern Japan. They were also created in the following Yayoi period (ca. 5th century BC – AD ca. 3rd century).

    This exhibition introduces the connection between pottery vessels and their decorations in the shape of people or animals. It also investigates, through the designs and adornments on vessels, the beliefs that people of ancient times stored in vessels. The displayed objects include those in the collection of the education board of Hokuto City, Yamanashi prefecture, which has revealed a rich cultural source of mid-Jomon period materials in recent years.
     

Major works in this exhibition
* Works listed below are in the TNM Collection unless otherwise indicated.
Deep Bowl with Human Face Ornament, From Tsugane Goshomae Site, Hokuto-shi, Yamanashi, Jomon period, 3000 - 2000 BC
Deep Bowl, From Ishiharada Kita Site, Hokuto-shi, Yamanashi
Deep Bowl with Human Face Ornament, From Teradoko NO.2 Site, Hokuto-shi, Yamanashi
Deep Bowl with Human Figure Ornament, From Teradoko NO.2 Site, Hokuto-shi, Yamanashi
Deep Bowl with Human Figure Ornament, From Suwahara Site, Hokuto-shi, Yamanashi
Jar with Spout and Human Figure Ornament, From Moheji, Hokuto-shi, Hokkaido, Jomon period, 2000 - 1000 BC (Important Cultural Property)
Jar with Human Figure Ornament, From Tokoshinai, Hirosaki-shi, Aomori, Jomon period, 2000 - 1000 BC (Important Cultural Property)
Jar with Human Face Ornament, From Ozakata Site, Ozakata Hondenmae, Chikusei-shi, Ibaraki, Yayoi period, 2nd - 1st century BC (Gift of Mr. Tanaka Kunio)
Jar with Line Drawing of Human Face Ornament, From Haketa, Kusabana, Akiruno-shi, Tokyo, Yayoi period, 1st - 3rd century (Gift of Mr. Shiono Hanjuro)

Pamphlet

Figures and Animals as Decoration on Jomon Pottery

Figures and Animals as Decoration on Jomon Pottery

The pamphlet is distributed in Japanese Archaeology Gallery, Heiseikan during the thematic exhibition periods.
PDFPDF, 1.60MB)

Related Events

Japanese Archaeology and Special Exhibition (Heiseikan) Japanese Archaeology Gallery  July 30, 2013 (Tue)   14:00 - 14:30   RESERVE_DAY
Japanese Archaeology and Special Exhibition (Heiseikan) Auditorium  September 14, 2013 (Sat)   13:30 - 15:00   RESERVE_DAY