Sejarah Periode Jomon, Periode Tertua dalam Sejarah Jepang

Summary

The Jomon period, Japan's earliest historical era, began around 14,500 BCE and ended around 310 CE with the advent of the Yayoi period. Named after its distinctive pottery, Jomon society was marked by settled villages, hunting, gathering, and fishing. They developed sophisticated pottery and tools from stone and wood. Towards the end, they adopted agriculture and metalworking from Korea, leading to the formation of modern Japanese society.

Takeaways

• 🗓️ The Jomon period is the earliest known era in Japanese history, beginning around 14,500 BCE and ending around 310 CE with the start of the Yayoi period.
• 🌐 The name 'Jomon' comes from the cord-pattern style of pottery produced during this era.
• 🏔 People arrived in the area now known as Japan at the end of the last glacial period, possibly following animal herds across land bridges formed during the glacial period.
• 🍃 As the climate warmed and land bridges disappeared, the Jomon people adapted to living on an island with dwindling animal herds.
• 🐟 The Jomon diet included a variety of foods such as bear meat, fish, shellfish, wild grapes, chestnuts, and acorns, as evidenced by refuse piles and middens near villages.
• 🏡 Around 5000 BCE, the Jomon people developed a settled lifestyle, forming villages with the largest villages covering about 100 hectares and housing around 500 people.
• 🌊 Coastal villages were heavily reliant on fishing, while inland settlements adopted a hunting lifestyle.
• 🏰 Early Jomon housing was simple but evolved into pit dwellings supported by pillars and capable of accommodating five people.
• 🛠️ Jomon technology primarily consisted of basic stone and wood tools, similar to Neolithic technology used elsewhere in Europe and Asia.
• 👗 Jomon clothing was made from tree bark cloth, sewn with bone needles.
• 🎨 Jomon pottery was handmade without the use of a potter's wheel, starting from coils of soft clay mixed with other materials like fibers or crushed shells, then shaped and fired outdoors.
• 🗝️ Towards the end of the Jomon period, there is evidence of contact with the mainland, such as similar pottery styles in Korea and southern Japan's Kyushu island.

Q & A

What does the term 'Jomon' mean and how does it relate to Japanese history?

The term 'Jomon' means 'cord pattern' or 'pattern of ropes' and it comes from the style of pottery made during that era. It is the earliest period in Japanese history, starting around 14,500 BCE and ending around 310 BCE when the Yayoi period began.

How did the climate change affect the Jomon people?

The Jomon people were affected by climate change around 911 BCE. As the climate warmed, the land bridges disappeared, and they found themselves on an island with animals that gradually became extinct. This led to the Jomon people developing a settled lifestyle and forming villages.

What were the main food sources for the Jomon people?

The Jomon people's food sources included bears, fish, shellfish, wild grapes, chestnuts, and tree seeds. Evidence of their diet was found in garbage dumps and middens near villages.

How large were the villages during the Jomon period?

The largest villages during the Jomon period were about 100 hectares in size and had a population of around 500 people. Villages near the sea relied heavily on fishing, while those in the middle of the islands adopted a hunting lifestyle.

What types of houses did the Jomon people live in?

Initially, the Jomon people lived in simple houses that soon developed into pit houses built around a central hearth. These houses were supported by pillars and could accommodate five people each.

How did the Jomon people's lifestyle change with climate variations?

The Jomon people's lifestyle changed with climate variations around the year 911 BCE. They adapted to living in different areas depending on the climate, which was a significant shift from their previous nomadic lifestyle.

What kind of tools did the Jomon people use?

The Jomon people used basic stone and wood tools such as knives, chisels, bows, and arrows. They also used various traps and snares for hunting. Their technology was similar to the Neolithic technology used in Europe and other parts of Asia.

What materials were used for clothing by the Jomon people?

The Jomon people's clothing was made from tree bark and elm bast, sewn using bone needles. They also made baskets, indicating a level of craftsmanship and resourcefulness.

What evidence is there of fishing practices among the Jomon people?

The Jomon people developed fishing tools such as harpoons and hooks, indicating a sophisticated understanding of fishing techniques. Unlike in Europe and America, agriculture was not practiced until much later, towards the end of the Jomon period.

How were Jomon pottery made and what were their characteristics?

Jomon pottery was handmade without the use of a potter's wheel. It began with coils of soft clay mixed with other materials like fibers or crushed shells. The outer and inner surfaces were then smoothed with tools and fired in a suitable fire outside. The pottery from the earliest Jomon period had a round bottom for cooking outside, placed on a pile of stones or sand. Later, the pottery became more decorated and the walls thinner, with more uses than in the earlier period.

What are the 'dogu' and what do they signify in Jomon culture?

The 'dogu' are clay figurines that were made during the Jomon period. Initially, they were flat images of various sizes, but by the middle and later Jomon periods, they became three-dimensional, often depicting pregnant women to enhance fertility or ordinary people. They were sometimes damaged, believed to transfer misfortune or illness to the represented living person.

What contact did the Jomon people have with other cultures?

For most of the Jomon period, Japan was isolated from the rest of Asia, so their culture and technology were considered original and possibly more primitive due to lack of access to ideas and technologies from other cultures. However, towards the end of this period, evidence suggests contact with the Korean peninsula, such as similar pottery found in Korea and Kyushu, the southernmost island of Japan.