Post by washi on Apr 11, 2015 2:46:06 GMT
Japanese pre-history after the Paleolithic is divided into three eras. They are the Jōmon 縄文, Yayoi 弥生, and Kofun 古墳 (or Yamato 大和) Periods. The Jōmon, a hunter-gather culture, characterized by a distinctive pottery sometimes said to be the oldest in the world, existed in Japan for perhaps a dozen millennia. The Yayoi Period marks the immigration of other peoples, probably from the Korean peninsula and / or mainland China and possibly (from linguistic evidence) from Southeast Asia and even Polynesia. It is often dated 300 BC to 300 AD, although these dates vary considerably as the earliest Yayoi settlements were established in Kyushu and gradually spread to the east and north. The Yayoi culture was marked by the introduction of wet rice agriculture and the more complex social structure that a settled life implies. It was also characterized by other technological developments imported from the continent, such as a more sophisticated and simpler style of pottery production, as well as bronze and iron medal working (although stone and wooden implements were widely used as well).
The Yayoi culture was replaced by the Yamato culture. This new wave of immigration from the continent is characterized by the use of horses, the building of monumental tombs for its leaders (called Kofun), yet another style of pottery making, and the introduction of many other technologies which originated on the continent. Archeological evidence suggests that both transition periods were gradual and peaceful, with the older inhabitants yielding to the superior technology of the new arrivals and being absorbed by them.
There are many Yayoi sites throughout Japan. The one here at Ikegami-Sone is considered one of the most important and the adjacent museum, established by Osaka Prefecture, is considered one of the best.
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