Jomon


 * Jomon Culture (c. 10,500-400BCE)**

Jomon Culture of Japan is one of the oldest cultures in Art History. Nearly one hundred sites of Jomon culture have been documented. Through these investigations it is apparent that the early Japanese people migrated as far west as the Mediterranean. It is believed that they crossed over China, through Manchuria, into Korea, and crossing a land bridge made their way into what we now call Japan. We can divide the Jomon Culture into three categories based on their art work, early, middle, and late.

The distinctive mark of the Jomon culture is marked not only by their ceramics but in name as well, “chord impressed”. When looking at the piece of art, it is easy to tell where the expression comes from. Early Jomon culture however is very Neolithic in style, their usage very utilitarian. It isn’t until middle Jomon that we start seeing a shift from utilitarian to ritualistic ceramics. The middle Jomon culture has the emphasis of flaring pots. The base is flattened, and the lips of the pot are curved, writhing, almost flame like. The whole entire surface of the pot is covered in the chord style in which the designs spiral, coil, and create s-shape patterns. Considering their designs, it is impossible to drink from the vessels, store food, or be of any other utilitarian function and can only be determined that these pots were designed for rituals.
 * Chord Marked Ceramic Vessels**

Ceramic figures, or //dotaku//, were also created near the middle to late Jomon culture. Within mid-Jomon culture we find that these man carved figures created out of stone or clay. They are designed with created with raised-line brows, large proportions, and the horizontally slits inside round almond shaped eyes. In late Jomon culture the figures are decorated in the same chord like fashion as the pots and are covered from head to toe in this design. These //dotaku// are unknown for use and can only be suspected to be used in spiritual needs. Jomon culture’s last works of art that they gave the world were the stone circles. These circles can be found in the Tohku area in Akita and farther north in Hokkaido. These circles are identified in a wheel fashion with a large upright stone, while other flat stones lay like spokes outward.
 * Ceramic Figurines**
 * Stone Circles**



Stanley-Baker, Joan. __Japanese Art__. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1995.
 * References**