Created in the Jomon era, this statue is a 'Hollow Clay Figure(Chuku Dogu) '.
Discovered in 3,500 year-old graves in Hokkaido's southern city, Hakodate, this figure was Hokkaido's first cultural artifact to be designated a National Treasure because of its beautiful form and the insights it provides about spirituality in the Jomon period.
What is this Clay Figure trying to tell us from all those thousands of years ago?
On these pages we will introduce the artifacts and relics from Hokkaido's Jomon period. We will delve into the Jomon people's history and spirituality, paying particular attention to their views on life and nature, and the significance their ways of thinking hold for society today.
| 1975 | In the fields of Chobonaino, an area within the small town of Osatsube-cho, Hakodate an almost-entirely intact Clay Figure was discovered by a housewife who was farming. |
|---|---|
| 1979 | Designated an important cultural property. (Exhibited in four countries including placement in the Smithsonian, the British Museum, etc.) |
| 2007 | Designated as Hokkaido's first national treasure. |
| 2008 | A special display within the Hokkaido Toyako Summit hall, welcoming the leaders of each country. |
［Description］
- It is the largest Clay Figure in the type of the Hollow Clay Figure. (Height 41.5cm Width 20.1cm)
- Though the clay is thin the figure is elaborately made with a well-polished surface.
- An excellent example of triangular patterning and round composition.
- Coated in a black japan lacquer.
