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Jomon pottery; Jomon-period earthenware
Pottery produced during the Jomon period (approximately 14,000-300 BCE) in prehistoric Japan, characterized by distinctive cord-marked patterns and elaborate decorative designs.
One of the oldest pottery traditions in the world. The name 縄文 literally means "cord pattern," referring to the decorative marks made by pressing twisted cords into wet clay before firing. Jomon pottery is a standard topic in Japanese history education and frequently appears in museums across Japan.
Common collocations
- 縄文土器の破片: Jomon pottery fragments
- 縄文土器が出土する: Jomon pottery is excavated
- 火焔土器: flame-style pottery (a famous elaborate style of Jomon pottery)
Cultural note
Jomon pottery is one of the oldest in the world. The Jomon period is divided into several phases, each with characteristic pottery styles ranging from simple cord-marked vessels to the dramatic flame-shaped pots (火焔土器) of the Middle Jomon period. These artifacts are frequently displayed in national and local museums and are an important part of Japanese cultural identity.