Jomon Style and Yayoi StyleJomon Style and Yayoi Style

Worldview transition with Neolithisation in Worldview transition with Neolithisation in central Japancentral Japan

Junzo UchiyamaJunzo UchiyamaResearch Institute for Humanity and Research Institute for Humanity and

Nature (RIHN)Nature (RIHN)

Kyoto, JapanKyoto, Japan

22-24Oct2009 CECT, Estonia22-24Oct2009 CECT, Estonia

Three historical stages after the Three historical stages after the last glacial age (apprx. 12,000BP – last glacial age (apprx. 12,000BP – present)present)

• Complex foragersComplex foragers

⇒ ⇒ characterized by sedentism and characterized by sedentism and various socio-economic activitiesvarious socio-economic activities

• Agro-pastoralismAgro-pastoralism

• Modern landscapeModern landscape

GAP?GAP?

Landscape of foragers

Agrarian landscape

Modern landscape

Historical population dynamicsHistorical population dynamics

BC AD

Po

pu

lat io

n in

Ja

pa

n

Historical Population in Japan (20,000BCE-Present)

Industrial Revolution, late 19C

Pop

ulat

ion

in P

rehi

stor

ic J

apa

n

BC AD

Prehistoric Population in Japan (20,000BCE-200CE)

Introduction of Introduction of rice agriculturerice agriculture

Foraging-main societies

Prehistory of the Japanese Prehistory of the Japanese ArchipelagoArchipelago

JOMONJOMON(15,000-3,000BP)-- (15,000-3,000BP)-- Foraging-main sedentism, Foraging-main sedentism, pottery, polished adzespottery, polished adzesYAYOIYAYOI(3,000-1,600BP)-- (3,000-1,600BP)-- Rice cultivation-main, Rice cultivation-main, bronze&ironbronze&iron

Pala

eolit

hic

Jomon

15,000 6,500 5,000 2,700 1,700 BP

Mid

dle-

Mod

ern

Yayoi

Ice

Age

Shell-middens

Early

sta

tes(

3-5C

CE)

Rice Agriculture

Inci

pien

t 〜

Initi

al

Early

Mid

dle

Late

Fina

l

Introduction Introduction of rice of rice

agricultureagriculture

Coniferous forests

Deciduous forests

Evergreen-broad leaved forests

Honshu Is

Hokkaido Is

1,000km

Jomon representationsJomon representations

JOMON PotteryJOMON Pottery

Excessive decorationExcessive decoration

Asymmetric and Asymmetric and dynamicdynamic formform

eg. Flame pots in eg. Flame pots in central Japan ( middle central Japan ( middle Jomon, 5,500-4,500BP)Jomon, 5,500-4,500BP)

Yayoi Yayoi representationsrepresentations YAYOI PotteryYAYOI Pottery

Simple design, Simple design, symmetric formsymmetric form

A wide range of shape A wide range of shape categoriescategories

Static / functional beautyStatic / functional beauty

QuestionsQuestions

• What kind of differences, linked with mental / aesthetic consciousness, exist behind between Jomon and Yayoi?

• What driving forces caused such a change?

Jomon: Era of shell-middensJomon: Era of shell-middens1) Large mound of discarded shellfish remains

by the post-glacial foragers

2) Product as a result of long-term concentrating disposal at one place

3)3) Shell-middens as cultural representations:Shell-middens as cultural representations: The fluctuation in numbers is NOT coincident The fluctuation in numbers is NOT coincident with the climatic changewith the climatic change

Drastic temp. drop

500

400

300

200

100

0

Number of S.middens

9 　　 　 6 5 　　 4 3×103 BP JOMON YAYOI

Climatic optimum

gradual temperature

drop/sea-level fall

Jomon shell-midden: Ring-shaped Jomon shell-midden: Ring-shaped complexcomplex Jomon shell-midden: Ring-shaped Jomon shell-midden: Ring-shaped complexcomplex

Jomon Circular Settlement

Ritual goods/houses from a central space

JomonJomon shell-midden: Not a ring form in the shell-midden: Not a ring form in the beginningbeginningThe circular shape was NOT preplanned: The circular shape was NOT preplanned:

⇒⇒ It isIt is the result that different generations made settlements in slightly different locations, keeping a same point as an open

communal and sacred space.

Settlement at a specific point of time period: apprx. Ten households?

Discard place: Shell-middenStorage area

Residential areaGrave yard

Central sacred place

White dots are the blocks for discarding

Jomon worldview: Exchange with the Jomon worldview: Exchange with the other worldother world

Ainu bear festival

Discard place: Shell-midden

Central sacred place

The other worldThe other world

Human burials in shell-layers

Vertical LandscapeVertical Landscape

Shimonogo Moated Circular Settlement, ca 2,400-2,200BP

Paddy fields; graveyards

Residence, storage, political centre

Moats

0 100m

The circular shape was The circular shape was PREPLANNED.PREPLANNED.

Every section has practical Every section has practical functions: functions:

1) Inside the moats: ordinary 1) Inside the moats: ordinary lifelife

2) The outer area for rice 2) The outer area for rice fields, and rituals/graves fields, and rituals/graves

⇒ Clear division of space use.Clear division of space use.

Yayoi: Era of Moated Circular Yayoi: Era of Moated Circular SettlementsSettlements

◆ Human domain expanded:⇒ Human domain expanded from small spots to a certain size of territory.

◆ Everything in the human domain must serve for human practical utility:

⇒　 1) Domesticated plants/animals 2) Human-made tools

◆ The world became clearly separated from the other world:

⇒ Pottery ended its role to communicate with the other world and became tools for ordinary life.

⇒ Pottery must take utilitarian design.

Yayoi worldview: Yayoi worldview: Expansion of human Expansion of human domaindomain

◆ Changes in environments or economy promoted the change in worldview? : ⇒ Jomon examples do NOT show coincidence with both factors.

Possible driving forces of Possible driving forces of worldview shiftworldview shift

◆ People gave up the Jomon view because they felt that it did not work well:

⇒ The stress caused by either intra- or inter- socio-cultural conflicts

JOMON JOMON YAYOI YAYOI

JOMON ViewJOMON View

“Vertical” Landscape

Yayoi ViewYayoi View

Establishment of a human domain

Human domain Human domain

NATURE

×

Modern ViewModern View

Human domain expanded

NeolithisationNeolithisation

History of Worldview History of Worldview ShiftsShifts

Jomon view still alive: Its Jomon view still alive: Its impact on modern and impact on modern and futurefuture

Jomon view never disappeared; simply it was sidelined.

⇒ We can see its ruins even in modern culture.1) Aesthetic influence on modern arts2) Alternative culture, rebelling

against the modern system 3) Disposition admitting the existence of spirits in robots (humanoids)

Jomon view may come back to mainstream someday.

Thank you very much for your Thank you very much for your attention!attention!

junzo@chikyu.ac.jpjunzo@chikyu.ac.jpjunzouchiyama@gmail.comjunzouchiyama@gmail.com