The is a ''
dogū
are small humanoid and animal figurines made during the later part of the Jōmon period (14,000–400 BC) of prehistoric Japan. ''Dogū'' come exclusively from the Jōmon period, and were no longer made by the following Yayoi period. There are ...
'', a humanoid clay female figurine from the Middle
Jōmon period (3,000–2,000 BC),
[.] discovered in 1986 in
Chino,
Nagano Prefecture, Japan. It was designated a
National Treasure
The idea of national treasure, like national epics and national anthems, is part of the language of romantic nationalism, which arose in the late 18th century and 19th centuries. Nationalism is an ideology that supports the nation as the funda ...
in 1995, the first Jōmon-period artifact to be so designated.
The ''
dogū
are small humanoid and animal figurines made during the later part of the Jōmon period (14,000–400 BC) of prehistoric Japan. ''Dogū'' come exclusively from the Jōmon period, and were no longer made by the following Yayoi period. There are ...
'' is an ocher-colored clay statuette high and weighing .
The clay from which it is made has been carefully polished and contains
mica.
Its shape is thought to resemble a pregnant woman: broad hips, a pronounced gluteal arch, prominent breasts and an enlarged belly.
In contrast to the overwhelming majority of the 20,000 ''dogū'' found in Japan, which were fragmented, the Venus of Jōmon is complete and has all its limbs.
History
In 1986, archaeological excavations were organized before the construction of an industrial park in the town of Chino at the site of the former hamlet of Tanabatake, located at the foot of the southern slope of
Mount Kirigamine
is a 1,925m volcano, located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan.
Outline
The tallest peak of Mount Kirigamine is Mount Kuruma, on which there is a weather radar site.
Most of the mountain is covered in grass with sparse bushes and rocks. The south ...
in the
Yatsugatake Mountains
The are a volcanic mountain range on the border between Nagano Prefecture and Yamanashi Prefecture on the island of Honshū in Japan.
Description
The mountain range consists of two volcanic groups, Northern Yatsugatake Volcanic Group and S ...
, about northwest of Tokyo.
This revealed the vestiges of a village of 149 houses, 146 of which date from the middle Jōmon period. The pieces of
obsidian discovered at the site indicate that this village was a prosperous trading center. The figurine was found among the burial pits at the center of the excavation site.
[.] It was first named the ''Tanabatake Venus'' before acquiring its present name.
[.]
In 1989, it was designated an
Important Cultural Property before achieving its current status. It is exhibited at the
Togariishi Museum of Jōmon Archaeology
20px, Togariishi ruins
The is a municipal museum located in the city of Chino, Nagano Prefecture, Japan, specializing in artifacts of the Jōmon period (between 14,000 and 1000 BCE).
Togariishi Museum of Jōmon Archaeology
The museum was open ...
in Chino.
See also
*
List of National Treasures of Japan (archaeological materials)
The term " National Treasure" has been used in Japan to denote cultural properties since 1897.
The definition and the criteria have changed since the introduction of the term. These archaeological materials adhere to the current definition, and ...
*
Japanese Prehistoric Art Japanese prehistoric art is a wide-ranging category, spanning the Jōmon (c. 10,000 BCE – 350 BCE) and Yayoi periods (c. 350 BCE – 250 CE), and the entire Japanese archipelago, including Hokkaidō in the north, and the Ryukyu Islands in the sou ...
*
Jōmon pottery
The is a type of ancient earthenware pottery which was made during the Jōmon period in Japan. The term "Jōmon" () means "rope-patterned" in Japanese, describing the patterns that are pressed into the clay.
Outline
Oldest pottery in Jap ...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Venus Jomon
1986 archaeological discoveries
3rd-millennium BC sculptures
Archaeological artifacts
Japanese sculpture
Jōmon period
National Treasures of Japan
Prehistoric art
Sculptures of women in Japan