1.
Jomon period (approx. 14,000-300 BCE)
The earliest major period of Japanese prehistory, characterized by hunter-gatherer societies and distinctive cord-marked pottery. The name comes from the rope-like patterns (縄目文様) pressed into the pottery.
Usage
A fundamental term in Japanese history education. The Jomon period is followed by the 弥生時代 (Yayoi period), which introduced rice farming.
Key terms
- 縄文土器: Jomon pottery — the cord-marked pottery that gives the period its name
- 土偶: clay figurine — iconic Jomon artifacts
- 貝塚: shell mound — archaeological sites where Jomon people discarded shells