The History of Japanese Art

Study Sheet 1.
The ways of humans and gods: prehistoric art, dwellings, and Shinto shrines
Mason Ch. 1: pp. 12-31; Ch. 2: pp. 33-38.

** Please note that, in the Web version of this document, the macron (straight line over a vowel) has been replaced with the circumflex (^), and selected Sanskrit diacritical marks have been omitted due to the limitations of HTML.**

Periods: Jômon (10,500BCE-300BCE)
(Incipient Jômon [10,500BCE-8000BCE] and Initial Jômon [8000BCE-5000BCE])
Early Jômon (5000-2500BCE),
Middle Jômon (2500-1500BCE)
Late Jômon (1500-1000BCE)
Final Jômon (1000BCE-300BCE)

Yayoi period (300BCE-300CE)
Kofun (300-710CE)

Useful Terms and Concepts
NOTE: Here and elsewhere you should recognize the Japanese terms in parentheses and know their meanings (i.e., passive recognition) but you need not memorize them

Functions of Jomon ceramics: practical (food storage, burial, etc.), ceremonial or ritual

Honshû, Kyûshû, Hokkaidô, Shikoku, southern island chain
read right to left

pit-dwellings (or pit-houses)	central hearth
thatched roof	post and beam construction
nomadic	hunting and gathering
cord markings	pots (vessels)
incense burners (or oil lamps)	storage vessel
stone rod	phallic symbol
mixed gender symbolism	dogû
cromlech (stone circle)	monolith
raised storehouses	Yoshinogari
bronze mirror	chokkomon design motif, spiral design
dôtaku	kofun burial mound
Takehara tomb	Emperor Nintoku tomb
haniwa	gable, gabled roof
Shinto	Ise Shrine, Shinmei style (zukuri)
Main hall of shrine (honden, shoden)	kami
gates (torii), ridge pole, porch, bay	billet (katsuogi), piles, lintel, post

Useful descriptive terms: design, motif, zones, form, construction, modeling, contour,
2-dimensional (2-D), 3-D, relief, balance, symmetry, asymmetry, symbolism, iconography, composition, aesthetic concern, emotional tenor, formal qualities.

centimeter = .39 inches (2.564 cm = 1 inch).
Illustrations number to left is a B &W illustration unless a color plate ("CP") is noted:
map, p. 12
3. Early Jômon pit house. 1/2 meter deep, 4 X 4 m. square, thatched roof over posts.
4. Early Jômon vessel. Clay. H. 35 cm. Cord markings and bamboo incisions.
5. Early Jômon figurine. Stone. H. 14.8 cm.
6. Middle Jômon vessel ("flame style"). Clay. H. 31 cm. Niigata region.
9. Middle Jômon dogû. Clay. H. 25 cm. Eastern Honshû (or Kantô region).
10. Late Jômon cromlech. Stone. D. 2.5 m. Northern Honshû (Akita).
12. Final Jômon drinking cup. Clay and lacquer. H. 12 cm. Northern Honshû (Aomori).
14. Final Jômon dogû. Clay. H. 38 cm. Northern Honshû (Aomori).
16. Yayoi raised storehouses. Similar to Yoshinogari egs. Gable roof, wood, thatch.
19. Yayoi (late) dôtaku. Bronze. H. 43 cm. Motifs of people working, animals, birds.
21. Yayoi (middle) vessel. Clay. H. 70 cm.
22-23. Kofun, late 4th - early 5th c. Kofun of Emperor Nintoku. Moat, earth, stone.
26. Kofun, 6th c. Haniwa shield. Clay. H. 149 cm.
27. Kofun. Haniwa figure of a warrior. Clay. H. 125 cm.no slide of this one
31. Kofun, 5th c. Haniwa house. Clay. H. 55 cm.
32. Kofun, 4th c. Mirror with house motif on back side. Bronze. D. 23 cm.
35 and color plate 2. Takehara Tomb. 6th c. Kyûshu.
39. Plan of Naikû area, Ise Shrine. Modern plan. Shrine origins 5th -6th c.
41. Main hall, Ise Shrine. Modern, based on ancient style. Wood, gilt bronze, thatch.