The Oldest Form of Japanese Pottery

Jomon pottery is decorated with rope-like patterns.

The oldest form of Japanese pottery is Jomon pottery, which gets its name from a Japanese word for cord markings, referring to the coiled decorations on the pots.

Time Frame

The Jomon era is Japan's Neolithic Age. It lasted from around 10,500 BCE to around 300 BCE. Jomon people were hunter-gatherers and fishers who lived in pit dwellings. The era is named for its distinctive pottery's cord or rope-like markings.

Significance

Jomon pottery is especially significant as it is the oldest known pottery in the world (not to be confused with the oldest clay figures in the world, which were discovered in the Czech Republic).

Features

According to The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of Asian Art, the people of the Jomon era did not use pottery wheels, so Jomon pots were made entirely by hand, built up from coils of clay. The clay was mixed with fibers, crushed shells and other materials, and tools were used to smooth and decorate the finished work. When the pots were dry, they were fired outside in a bonfire. It is speculated that women may have been the principle potters of the Jomon era.

References

• The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Jomon Culture (ca. 10,500--ca. 300 B.C.)
• Minnesota State University, Mankato: Jomon Culture; Rie Yamada
• Encyclopedia of Irish & World Art: Earliest Art of Prehistory

Resources

• Jomon Japan