Category:Jōmon period

The Jōmon period (縄文時代, Jōmon jidai) is a prehistoric period of Japan, traditionally dated from around 14,000 BCE to 300 BCE. It is characterized by a hunter-gatherer lifestyle with increasing sedentism, early forms of agriculture, complex pottery culture, and distinctive ritual practices. The name "Jōmon" refers to the "cord-marked" patterns (縄文, jōmon) found on pottery from this period.

The Jōmon period is typically divided into several sub-periods:

• Incipient Jōmon (c. 14,000–10,000 BCE) – The earliest Jōmon pottery appears, often simple in form and with cord-impressed decorations.
• Initial Jōmon (c. 10,000–7,500 BCE) – Early hunter-gatherer settlements form, and pottery becomes more elaborate.
• Early Jōmon (c. 7,500–5,000 BCE) – Settlement sites expand, with evidence of pit dwellings and storage pits.
• Middle Jōmon (c. 5,000–3,500 BCE) – Considered the peak of Jōmon culture, with elaborate pottery, figurines (dogū), and long-term settlements.
• Late Jōmon (c. 3,500–2,300 BCE) – Pottery styles diversify regionally, and settlements show signs of increased social complexity.
• Final Jōmon (c. 2,300–300 BCE) – The period transitions toward the Yayoi period; pottery becomes simpler, and evidence of rice cultivation increases.

The Jōmon people were primarily hunter-gatherers who exploited a wide range of natural resources. Evidence shows:

• Seasonal settlements with pit houses and larger communal sites.
• Fishing, hunting, and foraging for nuts, seeds, and tubers.
• Early horticulture, including the cultivation of wild plants.

Social organization appears to have been relatively egalitarian, though some evidence of ritual practices and burial mounds suggests emerging social differentiation.

Jōmon pottery is one of the oldest in the world, notable for its cord-marked designs, which were created by pressing rope or cord into wet clay before firing. Pottery types include:

• Haji-style earthenware
• Flame-rimmed vessels (kaen-doki), particularly from the Middle Jōmon period
• Storage and cooking vessels with highly decorative rims and appliqué designs

These vessels reflect both utilitarian and ceremonial uses, with some large pieces likely used in ritual contexts.

Dogū (土偶) figurines are small clay figures produced throughout the Jōmon period, often with exaggerated features. Their function is debated, but they are generally interpreted as:

• Fertility symbols
• Protective charms
• Objects used in ritual ceremonies

Other artistic expressions include stone and shell ornaments, lacquered wood, and bone tools.

Jōmon settlements vary from small temporary camps to large semi-permanent villages. Typical features include:

• Pit dwellings (tateana jukyo) with thatched roofs
• Storage pits for nuts and seeds
• Hearths and communal spaces

Sites such as Sannai-Maruyama in Aomori Prefecture reveal a sophisticated village layout, indicating complex social organization.

Evidence from obsidian, jade, and shell artifacts indicates long-distance exchange networks across Japan. These networks facilitated the distribution of tools, ornaments, and ceremonial objects.

The Jōmon period laid the foundation for subsequent Japanese cultures. It represents a unique prehistoric civilization with a rich material culture, artistic expression, and early forms of social complexity. Many aspects of Jōmon art and pottery continue to influence contemporary Japanese culture and craft traditions.

• Imamura, Keiji. Prehistoric Japan: New Perspectives on Insular East Asia. University of Hawaii Press, 1996.
• Hudson, Mark J. Ruins of Identity: Ethnogenesis in the Japanese Islands. University of Hawaii Press, 1999.
• Pearson, Richard. The Archaeology of Japan. Cambridge University Press, 1999.
• Kobayashi, Tatsuo. Jōmon Culture. In: Encyclopedia of Japan. Macmillan Reference, 2003.
• Sato, Masao. Jōmon Pottery and Figurines. Tokyo: University of Tokyo Press, 2010.