UDK 903.23(520)"634"
Documenta Praehistorica XXXIV (2007)
Jomon pottery:
cord-imitating decoration
Irina Zhushchikhovskaya
Institute of History, Archaeology and Ethnology of Peoples of the Far East, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, RU
irinazh@mail.primorye.ru
ABSTRACT - The paper discusses the decoration ofpottery of the Neolithic Jomon culture (Japanese
Archipelago, 13 600-900 BC). The comb-impressed pattern produced by various kinds of cord or rope
stamps is considered as the 'calling card' of Jomon pottery from the earliest cultural periods to the
latest. Another kind of decoration recognized recently uses the cord not as a patterning tool, but as
an essential motif of decorative composition. High relief elements imitate cordage forms and struc-
tures - knots, loops, hanging cord, net, etc. This kind of decoration corresponds to the pottery of Mid-
dle Jomon period (3500-2500 BC) sites located in northern and north-eastern Honshu and southern
Hokkaido. It is supposed that the introduction of images of real material object into the field of de-
corative art was reasoned by the meaning of cord and cordage as cultural signs during the Middle
Jomon period. Interesting parallels to some cordage structures reconstructed on Middle Jomon pot-
tery decoration are well known in traditional Japanese culture of VI-XX cc. Analytical interpretation
of this resemblance may became the subject of special research.
IZVLEČEK - V članku se ukvarjamo z okraševanjem keramike v neolitski kulturi Jomon (japonsko
otočje, 13 600-900 BC). Glavnikasto vtisnjen vzorec, narejen z različnimi vrstami vtisov vrvi, velja
za 'vizitko' jomonske keramike od najzgodnejših do najkasnejših kulturnih obdobij. Pred kratkim
prepoznana vrsta okraševanja kaže, da se vrv ne uporablja le kot orodje za izdelavo vzorcev, tem-
več kot bistven motiv v kompoziciji okrasa. Elementi visokega reliefa posnemajo obliko in strukturo
vrvi - vozle, zanke, visečo nit, mrežo, itd. Ta okras je pogost na keramiki v najdiščih iz obdobja sred-
nje Jomon (3500-2500 BC), ki se nahajajo na severnem in severovzhodnem Honšuju in južnem Hok-
kaidu. Domnevamo, da je bilo uvajanje podob iz resničnega materialnega sveta na področje dekora-
tivne umetnost, povezano s pomenom vrvi in vrvja kot kulturnih simbolov v času srednjega obdob-
ja Jomon. Zanimive vzporednice nekaterim vrvnim strukturam, rekonstruiranim na okrasju kerami-
ke iz srednje Jomon, so dobro poznane v tradicionalni japonski kulturi iz VI.-XX. stoletja. Analitič-
na interpretacija te podobnosti mora postati predmet posebne raziskave.
KEY WORDS - Japanese Archipelago; Jomon culture; Middle Jomon period; pottery; relief cord-imita-
ting decoration
Introduction
An outstanding phenomenon of the East Asian Neo-
lithic is Jomon culture, which existed in the isolation
in the Japanese Archipelago for more than ten thou-
sands years and produced many thousands of archa-
eological sites from Hokkaido in the north to Kyu-
shu in the south. At present, some researchers sup-
pose on the basis of carbon dating that Jomon cul-
ture began as long ago as 13 600 BC (Kobayashi
2004.5)*. Pottery is most abundant and a significant
category of the artifacts together with stone assem-
blages on each site beginning from the Initial Jomon
period, about 9200-5300 BC. A distinctive feature,
or 'calling card', of Jomon pottery is cord-impressed
decoration. It passed through time from the earliest
1 Here and below the chronology of Jomon culture is referenced after T. Kobayashi 2004.
Copyright by Department of Archaeology, Faculty of arts, University of Ljubljana.
21
cultural stages to latest. The
name 'Jomon' (a term coined by
Edward S. Morse who discove-
red cord ware at the Omori site
in 1867) means 'cord mark' in Ja-
panese (Harris 1997). Cord-im-
pressed design in its technologi-
cal and stylistic variety has been
a special and very carefully inve-
stigated subject in Japanese ar-
chaeology since the 1930's. It is
argued that the diversity of cord
twisting methods and the man-
ner of cord stamping on clay sur-
face caused all the visual varia-
tions in impressed design (Hur-
ley 1979; Kobayashi 2004.23-
25; Sugiyama 1942; Yamanou-
chi 1964). So the cord, or rope,
may be called a basic tool of Jo-
mon pottery decoration. At the
same time, within the rich and
long-lived Jomon pottery tradi-
tion, cases when the cord (rope)
appears not as a tool, but as a
substantial motif of decoration
may be distinguished. They seem
to be most significant in the relief design of Middle
Jomon pottery assemblages.
The Middle Jomon period (3500-2500 BC) is consi-
dered a time of cultural flourishing in various as-
pects - the economy, social relationships, religion,
artistic life (Aikens, Higuchi 1982; Kobayashi 2004;
Pearson 1992; Takahashi et al. 1997). In particu-
larly, the stylistic variety of pottery appearing mainly
in vessel decoration increased greatly in comparison
with the preceding Early Jomon stage. According to
T. Kobayashi, more than 20 local pottery styles exi-
sted during the Middle Jomon, correlating with diffe-
rent areas of Japanese archipelago. For some areas
the co-existence of two or three different styles is
supposed (Kobayashi 2004.30-31). A common trait
of most Middle Jomon pottery styles was the signi-
ficant role of relief decorative elements and motifs.
In many cases, relief pattern appearing like a central
part of the design composition was combined with
a cord-impressed pattern serving as unobtrusive
'phonewire' covering the vessel's walls. Sometimes
the relief decoration was used without cord-impres-
sed accompaniment. The most refined, sophisticated
and diverse variants of relief decoration are charac-
teristic of the Katsusaka, Atamadai, Flame (Kaen),
and Karakusamon pottery styles found in Chubu
Fig. 1. Map of research area. Tohoku and southern Hokkaido region
are marked with circle.
and Kanto regions, i.e. in central and eastern Hon-
shu. Intricate high-relief and deep-relief compositions
formed mainly of curve-lined elements are the sub-
jects of especially steadfast attention in Japanese ar-
chaeology. S-shaped, wave-shaped, spiral motifs, zoo-
morphic and anthropomorphic figures are interpre-
ted as symbolic pictures in the context of Middle Jo-
mon spiritual life (Aikens 1995; Harris 1997; Koba-
yashi 2004.19-50).
This paper is focused on the Middle Jomon pottery
of Tohoku region and southern Hokkaido region
(Fig. 1). Tohoku is the traditional name of northern
and north-eastern parts of Honshu Island, including
the prefectures of Aomori, Akita, and Yamagata. The
coastal areas of Tohoku and southern Hokkaido re-
gions are rich in Jomon sites presenting cultural re-
mains from the Early to the Final stage (Aikens and
Higuchi 1982.95-186; Illustrated Catalogue 2001).
Pottery assemblages of the Middle Jomon stage are
interesting because of the occurrence of relief deco-
ration imitating the cord and/or rope.
Research data
The basic research source is the pottery collection
from Ookubo site located in Aomori prefecture, at
the coastal area of Mitsu-bay. The collection consists
of ceramic vessels from Early, Middle, Late and Final
Jomon horizons excavated in the 1920s and 30s and
typologically arranged later. The pottery collection
is stored in the National Museum of Japanese Hi-
story2. The Middle Jomon pottery assemblage that is
the subject of our investigation may be attributed to
the Upper Ento and Middle Daigi pottery styles, ba-
sed on Kobayashi's systematization of local stylistic
variation (Kobayashi 2004.30-31).
The Middle Jomon pottery group from the Ookubo
site, including 61 complete vessels, is characterized
by technological uniformity. The vessels are made of
clay with natural or in some cases artificial sand
temper, and grog inclusions. The throwing method
consisted of hand building clay rolls transformed in-
to narrow bands. The outer and inner surfaces are
slipped and smoothed, but not very carefully. The fi-
ring was executed in an oxidizing regime, at low tem-
peratures, about 600-700°C. Ceramic vessels are of
simple shape, with unrestricted or slightly restricted
orifices, straight or concave smooth walls, and flat
bottoms. The vessels' heights vary from 8 to 38 cm,
usually 16-25 cm. In some cases the rims are desig-
ned with several - from 3 to 6 - wave-like, triangle-
like or rectangular-like vertical protrusions typical of
Jomon pottery of the late Early to Middle periods.
All vessels are decorated. It is possible to distinguish
two main kinds of decoration: cord-impressed deco-
ration, and monotonous rows of cord imprints or
more complicated compositions including geomet-
ric motifs formed by cord impressions (Fig. 2) The
second kind of decoration is most
common and presents a combination
of a 'phonewire' cord-impressed pat-
tern occupying almost all the vessel's
surface, and relief decoration on the
upper part of the vessel. In the con-
text of this paper, the second kind of
decoration is especially worth consi-
dering.
Deep relief and high relief decoration
types may be identified. Only 3 vessels
have deep relief decoration formed
from grooves incised on the wall. The
object of our attention is the high re-
lief decoration on most of the vessels
(38 samples). Decorative compositions
are formed of fine narrow or coarse
Fig. 2. Ookubo
site. The Mid-
dle Jomon hori-
zon. The cera-
mic vessel with
cord-impressed
decoration.
thick clay rolls, or bands applied on vessel's wall. In
some cases it may be observed that clay rolls were
applied over the cord impressions 'phonewire' deco-
ration. The prevailing tendency was the covering of
clay rolls by transverse cord impressions or incised
stretches. The upper border of the high relief deco-
ration area always is orifice line. The width of the
decorated area varies from one quarter to one third
or one half of the vessel's height. It is interesting to
note that every vessel with high relief decoration
bears an original composition which is not replica-
ted on other pots. Nevertheless, this variety may be
divided into some general compositional groups ac-
cording to decorative elements or motifs.
The first group includes 16 vessels. The high relief
decoration is composed exclusively of straight linear
Fig. 3. Ookubo site. The Middle Jomon horizon. The ceramic ves-
sels with relief decoration, imitating the hanging cord.
2 The author researched the pottery collection of Ookubo-site in National Museum of Japanese History in 2003.
	
Fig 12	il HBW m —i WM i
Fig. 4. The experimental model of
hanging cord. Fig. 6. The experi-
mental models if tied cord. Fig. 8.
The experimental model of net-
like (lacy) cordage. Fig. 10. The
experimental model of suspended
cord. Fig. 12. The experimental
models of the bow-shaped knotted
cord and the looped cord.
elements made of clay rolls. This composition group
includes various combinations of horizontal, vertical,
inclined lines, angular-shaped and zigzag-shaped fi-
gures. The second group, of 19 vessels, has decora-
tive compositions formed from linear (horizontal,
vertical, inclined) and curvilinear elements. The third
group, comprising only 3 vessels, has decorative com-
positions formed mostly of curvilinear elements -
the arc-shaped or wave-shaped figures.
Not considering in detail the nuances of decorative
compositions it would be important to fix certain
traits common to all three groups. Each group inclu-
des examples of decorative elements or motifs which
may be interpreted as relief imitations of realistic pla-
stic structures of the cord, or rope. Certain variants
of cord-imitating images on Middle Jomon pottery
from Ookubo are detailed below. Experimental mo-
dels of cord structures are applied to illustrate the
probable prototypes of decorative images.
Hanging cord (rope). This straight-line decorative
element observed on vessels NN A-14-2-28, A-14-
3-29, A-14-4-273 presents the idea of hanging
cords or ropes (Fig. 3). This looks like two cords
(ropes) tied and hanging loosely, or a single cord
entwined so that its ropes (ends) are hanging down.
It is an interesting detail that the lower ends of the
clay 'hanging cords' are completed by relief thicke-
ning looking like a bunch at the
end of real cord or rope (Fig. 4).
Tied cord (rope). The series of
relief elements imitates various
methods of joining, fastening or
tying. These are on vessels NN A-
14-1-57, A-14-1-61, A-14-3-36,
A-14-1-93, A-14-1-97, A-14-3-
45 (Fig. 5). It may be supposed that
realistic prototypes of such decora-
tive images were plastic structures
formed of tied, fastened or knotted
cords (Fig. 6).
Cordage net structure (lacy
cordage). Some vessels (A-14-1-
62, A-14-1-93, A-14-1-98) have
decorative compositions looking si-
milar to lacy or net-like structure
formed by crossing, interlacing or
tying cords. The elements compri-
sing this design may be straight or
curved lines. (Figs. 7 and 8).
Suspended cord (rope). This arc-lined element
oriented with its concave side down appears in de-
corative compositions on vessels NN A-14-87, A-
14-3-52, A-14-1-86 (Fig. 9). It looks like a hori-
zontally suspended cord (Fig. 10).
Some vessels combine different elements imitating
cord structures. Thus, vessel N A-14-1-93 has a
combination of 'cordage net' and 'tied cord' (Fig.
7); vessel N A-14-1-87 is an example of the 'sus-
pended cord' combining with the 'tied cord' (Fig. 9).
It may be noted that in all cases the impression of
the cord image is composed not only by the imitation
of various plastic patterns in applique rolls, but in
significant measure by the covering of these rolls by
transverse stretches or imprints to replicate the tex-
ture of real cord.
Other cases of relief decoration imitating cordage
structures are seen in the materials of archaeologi-
cal publications. Middle Jomon pottery of the Toho-
ku and southern Hokkaido regions is presented in
detail in photographic and graphic illustrations of
the books 'The Comprehensive Book of Jomon Pot-
tery' edited by T. Kobayashi (1989) and 'Jomon Pot-
tery' edited by S. Yamanouchi (1964). Here we can
observe the series of interesting decorative elements
which may be interpreted as clay relief images of
3 Here and below, are noted the Museum's inventory numbers for vessels from the pottery collection of the Ookubo site.
Fig. 5. Ookubo site. Middle Jomon horizon. Ceramic
sels with relief decoration, imitating tied cord.
cordage structures. Some of them are described be-
low.
Bow-shaped cord (rope) knot. The most expres-
sive case of this element is recognized in the deco-
rative composition on a ceramic vessel from the Mid-
dle Jomon horizon of Tsokinoki 1 site in Aomori pre-
fecture (Kobayashi 1989.185, fig. 708) (Fig. 11.1). A
decorative figure replicates the configuration of a
bow-shaped knot that is very popular among known
kinds of knot structure (Fig. 12).
Cord (rope) loops. A decorative element imitating
the loop made by a cord or rope is detected on ves-
sels from the Middle Jomon horizons of sites at Hi-
nohama and Hamanasuno in southern Hokkaido
(Kobayashi 1989.184, fig.705, 193, fig. 748) (Figs.
11.2 and 12). In all cases this element is used with
other decorative elements (figures) to form a gene-
ral composition.
Hanging cord (rope). This element is similar to
the images of hanging cord recognized in the Ooku-
bo pottery finds. Relief imitations of cords or ropes
hanging loosely and completed by
bunches at the lower ends are fixed
in decorative compositions on ves-
sels from the Middle Jomon horizons
of sites at Kayakarizawa in Akita pre-
fecture, Sannai in Aomori prefecture,
and Usujiri in southern Hokkaido
prefecture (Kobayashi 1989.192, fig.
742, 184, fig. 702, 190, fig. 735) (Fig.
13.1).
Cordage net structure (Lacy cor-
dage). Decorative compositions on
vessels from some Middle Jomon
sites in northern Honshu and south-
ern Hokkaido look like the lacy cor-
dage formed by crossing or inter-
weaving cords (Kobayashi 1989.190,
ves
figs. 733-735; 191, fig. 737, 738; Yamanou-
chi 1964.fig. 68-70, 76). This is the same
kind of relief imitation seen on pottery from
the Ookubo site (Fig. 13.2).
Also, it is possible to recognize the decorative
element of the 'suspended cord' (Kobayashi
1989.191, fig. 740), and imitations of diffe-
rent kinds of cord tying (Kobayashi 1989.
190, fig. 735, 184, fig. 703; Yamanouchi
1964.fig. 71). Some compositions may be ex-
plained as images of complicated cord struc-
tures, and various elements: 'cordage net', loops,
cord tying, or binding, and others (Kobayashi 1989.
192, fig. 738, 190, fig. 733, 734, 735; Yamanouchi
1964.fig. 68, 69).
Discussion
Archaeological records reflect the important role
and high development of basketry and cordage as
crafts among the Jomon population from the earliest
times. The remains of artifacts made of plant and fi-
ber materials are direct evidence of this. Significant
sources indicating advanced cordage technology are
the multifarious cord impressions on the walls of Jo-
mon vessels (Kobayashi 2004.24-27; Sugiyama
1942; Yamanouchi 1964). Besides the great varia-
tion in the twisted and plaited cord imprints, traces
of cord knots and loops are detected (Hurley 1979.
68-79). Undoubtedly, Jomon peoples were surroun-
ded by an abundance of basketry and cordage uten-
sils of various functional destinies. It seems to be
likely that the morphological diversity and plasticity
of size cord structures could have inspired the idea
of introducing some cordage forms into pottery de-
Fig. 7. Ookubo site. Middle Jomon horizon. Ceramic vessels with
relief decoration, imitating net-like (lacy) cordage.
Fig. 9. Ookubo site. The middle Jomon horizon. Ceramic vessels
with the relief decoration, imitating suspended cord.
Looking at pottery-making traditions
of the Late and Final Jomon periods,
2500-900 BC, we can not detect signi-
ficant cases of relief cord-imitating de-
coration. In general, after the Middle
Jomon period, in the pottery-making
of various regions of the Japanese Ar-
chipelago high relief design became
extinct and was replaced by another
standard of decoration, mainly combi-
nations of incised patterns and local
areas of cord-impressed patterns (Ai-
kens and Higuchi 1982.164-179; Pe-
arson 1992. 73-74).
coration. The clay as a plastic and compliant raw ma-
terial allowed the replication of the lines, curves and
interlaced patterns of flexible cords or ropes.
It may be supposed that the earliest relief cord imi-
tation in pottery design seems to appear in the Inci-
pient Jomon period, before 10 000 BC. Some resear-
chers distinguish a relief 'raised-cord' pattern on the
oldest Japanese ceramics. This pattern is usually in
the form of horizontal applique bands decorated
with various kinds of imprints, sometimes cord im-
pressions. It has some similarity to the image of a
cord (Kobayashi 1993). However, only Middle Jo-
mon archaeological records give us obvious appea-
rances of cord-imitating decoration in its variable
and expressive forms. It is important to emphasize
that decorative, cord-imitating relief elements or mo-
tifs are associated with the Middle Jomon pottery-
making traditions of certain territories - Tohoku re-
gion, i.e. northern and north-eastern Honshu, and
southern Hokkaido. Some researchers believe that
these regions share features of pottery-making deve-
lopment, beginning with the Early Jomon period (Ai-
kens 1995; Kobayashi 2004.51-56). In the light of
data presented in this paper it may be supposed that
the introducion of relief decorative elements imita-
ting various kinds of cordage structure was a distin-
ctive cultural item of the local population.
It is quite important to emphasize that the Middle Jo-
mon pottery of Tohoku in southern Hokkaido area
demonstrates the unique situation of introducing of
a real object of material culture (cord structure) into
the sphere of decorative art. Prehistoric potters crea-
ted metaphorical images of such ordinary, at first
glance, things as cords or rope. What reasons caused
this phenomenon besides the external decorative
attractiveness of cord structures imitation? It was no-
ted above that researchers suppose symbolic mean-
ings for some kinds of Middle Jomon relief decora-
tion, including sophisticated curvilinear elements
and motifs. Thus, Kobayashi considers decorative
compositions on ceramic vessels of Flame-like and
some other styles as probable 'codes' of ethnic, or
tribal, identity. It seems likely that the areas of cer-
tain pottery styles corresponded to territories of dif-
ferent Jomon groups (Kobayashi 2004.42-71). In
the light of this conception, it may be supposed that
high-relief cord-imitating decoration on Middle Jo-
mon pottery from Tohoku and southern Hokkaido
region played for the local population the role of a
cultural mark, or sign. The essential meaning of this
sign probably derived from the functional context of
real cord, or rope, as one of the most necessary items
of everyday life. Supposedly, the cord in its various
forms and structures may be associated with such
ideas as 'linking', 'defending', 'protection', etc. Obvi-
Fig. 11. Ceramic vessels with relief decoration, imitating bow-shaped knotted cord (1) and looped cord
(2). Middle Jomon sites Tsukinoki 1 (Aomori prefecture) and Hinohama (Hokkaido prefecture). (From
Kobayashi 1989.184-185).
Fig. 13. Ceramic vessels with relief decoration imitating hanging
cord (1) and net-like (lacy) cordage (2). Middle Jomon sites Kaya-
karizawa (Akita prefecture) and Usujiri (Hokkaido prefecture).
(From Kobayashi 1989.190, 192).
ously, all these abstract concepts had positive conno-
tations in the mentality of prehistoric peoples.
Considering 'the cord theme' in the records of the
oldest stages of Japanese history, it would be intere-
sting to look at the latest evidence of traditional cul-
ture. One can note the wide usage of the cord, or
rope, in various spheres of material and spiritual
life. These are traditional costume, sacred cere-
monies, package technology, and
some others (Cort 1982; Cort and
Nakamura 1994; Shigeru 1978; Ya-
mamoto 1998.454-537; 1999.138-
239). The cord appears as an objec-
tive sign or symbol with a positive
meaning. Thus, in the context of
Shinto religion, which originated in
the pre-state period of Japanese hi-
story, a special cord made of rice
straw has its own name, shimenawa,
and is associated with ideas of pro-
tection and defense (Nakortchevsky
2003.46-48, 183, 188; Takai 1985.
53-54). In old Japan, during traditio-
nal New Year festive ceremonies, the
cord was used as a necessary attri-
bute symbolizing wishes for happiness, and the war-
ding off of disasters (Markova 1991. 374-375; Sai-
kaku 1981.277).
It seems to be important to emphasize that certain
traditional cordage structures are very similar to
some cordage forms imitated in the decoration of
Middle Jomon pottery. These are the hanging cord,
suspended cord, and bow-shaped knot. We can meet
Fig. 14 (left). The sacral cord 'Shimenawa' at the enter of Shinto-Buddhist shrine of Edo period (17-19
centuries). The surroundings of Sakura-city, Honshu Island.
Fig. 15 (right). The bow-shaped knotted rope with bunches at the entrance of traditional Shinto-Buddhist
shrine. Kamakura-city. Honshu Island.
Fig. 16 (left). The Middle-aged samurai armour and helmet with knot-
ted cordage details.
Fig. 17 (up). The Middle-aged samurai armour with bow-shaped knot-
ted cord.
them among the attributes of Shinto cult (Figs. 14
and 15), the details of traditional dress and gear
(Figs. 16 and 17), and traditional package arrange-
ments (Fig. 18). Here we can not suggest the expla-
nation of the parallels between the models of pre-
historic cord structures and cordage forms in tradi-
tional Japanese culture need an especially oriented
investigation. It seems likely that this subject is in
close relation to the problem of the origin of Japa-
nese ethnicity and culture. One of most disputable
and unclear questions in the context of this problem
is the role of the Jomon population in the process of
forming the Japanese ethnic community at around
the end of 1st millennium BC and beginning of 1st
millennium AD (Aikens and Higu-
chi 1982.187-322; Pearson 1992;
Taksami and Kosarev 1990). So,
any resemblances in the material
and spiritual culture of prehistoric
inhabitants of the Japanese Archipe-
lago and historical population are of
great interest and value for detecting
probable links between the ancient
past and the present.
Fig. 18. Traditional Japanese boxes 'inro' for the packing small
things with knotted rope.
-ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS-
The author is very grateful to her Ja-
panese colleagues, Prof. Masato Mi-
yachi, Prof. Hiromi Shitara and Dr.
Masahiro Fukuda for the opportuni-
ty to work in the ceramic collections
of National Museum of Japanese Hi-
story.
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