Japanese History Digest

Jomon period

Jomon period

The Jomon period in the Japanese archipelago is a prehistoric period that began approximately 13,000 years ago and transitioned into the Yayoi period approximately 2,300 years ago, with regional variations. The name of the period comes from Jomon pottery, whose surfaces are decorated with patterns such as rope weave. Jomon pottery varies in shape, thickness, and color, and many types are porous and tend to be fired at low temperatures, but it cannot be generally described as "fragile." People's livelihoods were based on hunting, gathering, and fishing, and they lived off natural resources such as hunting, gathering nuts and wild vegetables, and utilizing seafood.

Dwellings were generally pit dwellings dug into the ground and equipped with pillars and roofs. Settlements with a variety of structures, including storage pits, mounds, post-hole buildings, and large structures, can also be found. Large settlements such as the Sannai-Maruyama site suggest long-term settlement and the development of resource management, but the size, density, and duration of settlements vary greatly depending on the region and period.

Regarding social structure, while clear evidence of a relatively equal and large-scale hierarchy has traditionally been considered limited, some theories argue that differences in burial sites, the distribution of ornaments, and ritual facilities suggest the emergence of chiefdoms and hierarchies depending on the region and period. While flexed burials were common, there was a wide variety of burial practices, including pit graves, stone-arranged structures, and reburials, with significant regional differences. Clay figurines and stone clubs are known as artifacts related to religious beliefs and rituals. Clay figurines are often female figures, and various theories have been proposed as to their purpose, including fertility, safe childbirth, and protection from evil.

Furthermore, the distribution of distant resources such as Itoigawa jade and obsidian in various regions indicates the existence of widespread exchange and interaction. Furthermore, the cultivation and management of certain plants, such as perilla and gourd, and the intensive use of chestnut resources have been noted, but the extent of these varied by region and period and is distinct from later rice cultivation. The Jomon period saw the formation of diverse regional cultures while adapting to the natural environment, forming the foundation for the historical culture of the Japanese archipelago.

 

Facilities where you can learn about the Jomon period

Kasori Shell Mound Museum(Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture)
https://goo.gl/qYFRPf

Sannai-Maruyama Site（Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture）
http://sannaimaruyama.pref.aomori.jp/

Chojagahara Archaeological Museum（Itoigawa City, Niigata Prefecture）
http://www.city.itoigawa.lg.jp/kouko/

Engaru Town Cultural Heritage Center（Engaru Town, Hokkaido）
https://engaru.jp/tourism/page.php?id=476

Kamegaoka Stone Age Site"（Tsugaru City, Aomori Prefecture）
http://jomon-japan.jp/jomon-sites/kamegaoka/

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