Jomon Potteries in Idojiri Vo.1: Tounai Ruins - Paperback

by Takeo Fukazawa (Translator), Freddy Bellouard (Translator), Norio Yokogoshi (Translator)

The Idojiri Archaeological Musuem that is located at the foot of Yatsugatake Mountains in Nagano, Japan is well known for the excellent collections of Jomon Potteries of about 5,000 years B.P. And till today the research has been continued to ascertain the view of the world of those days based on the study of Jomon Farming and Earthenware Iconography. At the Idojiri Archaeological Museum, we have been creating an image database of those potteries since 1996. And, at this time, we decided to publish a series of catalog for each ruins in the manner of Publishing On Demand toward the world. This catalog is the Vol.1 and contains 24 masterpieces of Jomon potteries excavated in Tounai ruins and registered as National Important Cultural Properties. The commentaries on each potteries and excavation sites were written and compiled based on the report "Tounai, the center of prehistoric philosophy" that was published in 2011. As for the photos, we selected at least three photos for each pottery from the multi-view photos that were shot for creating the image database and laid out one photo by one page. The contents are as shown below. Contents Forword: Jomon Ruins in Idojiri and the Excavations Discovery and Excavations of Tounai Ruins Catalog Cylindrical vessel with a statue of God Bowl with frog pattern Big bowl with eyes on four sides Cylindrical vessel with compartment pattern Cylindrical vessel with cross pattern Deep bowl with a statue of one-eyed God Cylindrical deep bowl with oval compartment pattern Deep bowl with non-decorative edge Deep bowl with two eyes and snake pattern Deep bowl with deformed Mizuchi (legend mythical snake-like beast) pattern Steamer style deep bowl with snake pattern Liquor pot with snake pattern Both Ears Bowl God statue style deep bowl Diamond shaped deep bowl with frog patterns God statue style deep bowl with a frog pattern Deep bowl with compartment pattern of vertical stripes Five-stage deep bowl with dual eyes Clay figure with a snake on the head Large bowl with breast-shaped rim Deep bowl with dual eyes Perforated flanged earthenware with half-man half-frog pattern Deep bowl with Mizuchi pattern Diamond shaped frog pattern style large bowl Deep bowl

Author Biography

Idojiri Archaeological Museum In the southwest foot of Yatsugatake mountains, many Jomon ruins have been excavated and those tell us the culture and life of those days (about 8,000-2,300 years ago). In the museum are chronologically exhibited more than 2,000 potteries and stone tools that are excavated in Fujimi town area and through which we can learn about the transition and use. In conjunction with them, many other materials such as dwelling houses, foods and personal ornaments are also exhibited, and these are placed to be understood at first glance. In addition, the view on religion or the world view and mythology of that period have been revealed by the studies of those potteries and clay figures, but these theories are also unveiled enthusiastically with those exhibits. Outside of the exhibition hall can be seen some more materials such as a couple of stone monuments, farm fields and a rock garden that contains stone tool materials in the 5,300 square meters site, and these contribute the studies of foods life and farm tools of those period. Also, at the archaeological site of Idojiri, we are able to soak in the Jomon world for while beside a restored dwelling, listening to the sounds of spring water that will never dry up. Next to the Archaeological Museum is situated the Museum of History and Folklore that is collecting folklore materials of this region.