1. Jomon Style and Yayoi Style Worldview transition with Neolithisation in central Japan Junzo Uchiyama Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN) Kyoto, Japan 22-24Oct2009 CECT, Estonia

2. Three historical stages after the last glacial age (apprx. 12,000BP – present) Complex foragersComplex foragers ⇒ characterized by sedentism and various socio-economic activities Agro-pastoralismAgro-pastoralism Modern landscapeModern landscape GAP? Landscape of foragers Agrarian landscape Modern landscape

3. Historical population dynamics BC AD Population in Japan Historical Population in Japan (20,000BCE-Present) Industrial Revolution, late 19C Population in Prehistoric Japan BC AD Prehistoric Population in Japan (20,000BCE-200CE) Introduction of rice agriculture Foraging-main societies

4. Prehistory of the Japanese Archipelago JOMON (15,000-3,000BP)-- Foraging-main sedentism, Foraging-main sedentism, pottery, polished adzes pottery, polished adzes YAYOI (3,000-1,600BP)-- Rice cultivation-main, Rice cultivation-main, bronze&iron bronze&iron Palaeolithic Jomon 15,000 6,500 5,000 2,700 1,700 BP Middle-Modern Yayoi Ice Age Shell-middens Early states(3-5C CE) Rice Agriculture Incipient 〜 Initial EarlyMiddleLateFinal Introduction of rice agriculture Coniferous forests Deciduous forests Evergreen-broad leaved forests Honshu Is Hokkaido Is 1,000km

5. Jomon representations JOMON Pottery  Excessive decoration  Asymmetric and dynamic form eg. Flame pots in central Japan ( middle Jomon, 5,500-4,500BP)

6. Yayoi representations YAYOI Pottery  Simple design, symmetric form  A wide range of shape categories  Static / functional beauty

7. Questions What kind of differences, linked with mental / aesthetic consciousness, exist behind between Jomon and Yayoi? What driving forces caused such a change?

8. Jomon: Era of shell-middens Jomon: Era of shell-middens 1)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)Shell-middens as cultural representations: The fluctuation in numbers is NOT coincident with the climatic change Drastic temp. drop 500 400 300 200 100 0 Number of S.middens 9 6 5 4 3×10 3 BP JOMON YAYOI Climatic optimum gradual temperature drop/sea-level fall

9. Jomon shell-midden: Ring-shaped complex Jomon shell-midden: Ring-shaped complex Jomon Circular Settlement Ritual goods/houses from a central space

10. Jomon shell-midden: Not a ring form in the beginning  The circular shape was NOT preplanned: ⇒ It is ⇒ It 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-midden Storage area Residential area Grave yard Central sacred place White dots are the blocks for discarding

11. Jomon worldview: Exchange with the other world Ainu bear festival Discard place: Shell-midden Central sacred place The other world Human burials in shell-layers Vertical Landscape

12. Shimonogo Moated Circular Settlement, ca 2,400-2,200BP Paddy fields; graveyards Residence, storage, political centre Moats 0 100m  The circular shape was PREPLANNED.  Every section has practical functions: 1) Inside the moats: ordinary life 2) The outer area for rice fields, and rituals/graves Clear division of space use. ⇒ Clear division of space use. Yayoi: Era of Moated Circular Settlements

13. ◆ 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: Expansion of human domain

14. ◆ Changes in environments or economy promoted the change in worldview? : ⇒ Jomon examples do NOT show coincidence with both factors. Possible driving forces of worldview 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 YAYOI

15. JOMON View “Vertical” Landscape Yayoi View Establishment of a human domain Human domain NATURE × Modern View Human domain expanded Neolithisation History of Worldview Shifts History of Worldview Shifts

16. Jomon view still alive: Its impact on modern and future  Jomon view never disappeared; simply it was sidelined. ⇒ We can see its ruins even in modern culture. 1) Aesthetic influence on modern arts 2) 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.

17. Thank you very much for your attention! junzo@chikyu.ac.jpjunzouchiyama@gmail.com