A National Treasure of Japan, the Jōmon Venus is one of the best known statues from the Neolithic period. It was found mostly intact in a burial pit on the site known as Tanabatake. The figurine is around 5,000 years old and was created by the Jōmon culture of Japan. In keeping with numerous other prehistoric sculptures from around the world, it depicts a pregnant female.
Table of Contents
S1 – Discovery
Numerous prehistoric pieces of pottery have been found in Japan which have been decorated by impressing cords into the surface of wet clay. Jōmon is a Japanese term for cord-marking and it has become associated with a culture of the Jōmon era (12,500 BCE – 300 BCE) which created such pottery. Dogū (“earthen figure”) are small humanoid and animal figurines created by the Neolithic Jōmon culture of Japan.
The Jōmon Venus is the most famous Dogū. Dogū were first discovered in the 17th century in the northern part of the island of Honshu. Since then they have been excavated from many sites across Japan. The Jōmon Venus was discovered on September 8, 1986 from the site known as Tanabatake in Nagano Prefecture.
S2 – Description
Dogū have human, mostly female, features. They resemble other prehistoric statues in the sense that they mostly depict pregnant females. The Jōmon Venus is also considered to be a depiction of a pregnant woman. This may be deduced from the broad hips and large belly of the depicted figure. It is a large sized Dogū that has a height of 27 cm and a weight of 2.14 kg. Moreover, it has carved patterns on its head. Unlike the majority of other discovered Dogū, the Jōmon Venus was found mostly intact.
S3 – Age
The Jomon period of Japanese history lasted from around 12,500 to 300 BCE. Dogū seem to have first appeared in the early days of the Jomon period and developed rapidly from 2,000 BCE. The Jōmon Venus was found in a burial pit and has been dated to the Middle Jōmon Period which lasted from 3,000 BCE to 2,000 BCE. On June 15, 1995, it became the first Jōmon period relic to be designated a National Treasure of Japan.
S4 – Neolithic Art Overview
Main Sources
S1, S3:-
(Oct 27, 2020). “Dogu Clay Figures: The Power of Dogu”. Asian Art Newspaper.
““Jomon Venus” clay figurine, National Treasure”. Koshin Jomon Culture Dissemination and Activation Council.
S2:-
“National Treasure “Dogu” part 1:”Jomon no Venus” (the Venus of Jomon)”. Togariishi Museum of Jomon Archaeology.