Dogū

Origins

Some scholars theorize the dogū acted as effigies of people, that manifested some kind of sympathetic magic. For example, it may have been believed that illnesses could be transferred into the dogū, which were then destroyed, clearing the illness, or any other misfortune.

Characteristics

Dogū are made of clay and are small, typically 10 to 30 cm high. Most of the figurines appear to be modeled as female, and have big eyes, small waists, and wide hips. They are considered by many to be representative of goddesses. Many have large abdomens associated with pregnancy, suggesting that the Jomon considered them mother goddesses. According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, these figurines "suggest an association with fertility and shamanistic rites".

The dogū tend to have large faces, small arms and hands and compact bodies. Some appear to wear goggles or have "heart-shaped" faces. Most have marks on the face, chest and shoulders, that suggest tattooing and probable incision with bamboo.

Types

• "Heart-shaped (or crescent-shaped eyebrow)" figurine
• "Horned-owl type" figurine
• "Goggle-eyed type" (shakōkidogū) figurine
• "Pregnant woman type" figurine

File:Figurine Dogu Jomon Musée Guimet 70608 3.jpg|Dogū figurine, Jomon. Musée Guimet (70608 3). File:Dogū of Jōmon Venus.JPG|Jōmon Venus, National Treasure of Japan, Togariishi Jōmon Archeological Museum.

''Shakōkidogū''

The Shakōkidogū, or "goggle-eyed dogū, were created in the Jōmon era, and are so well known that when most Japanese hear the term dogū, this is the image that comes to mind. The name shakōki (literally "light-blocking device") comes from the resemblance of the figures' eyes to traditional Inuit snow goggles. Another distinguishing feature of the objects are the exaggerated female buttocks, chest and thighs. Furthermore, the abdomen is covered with patterns, many of which seem to have been painted with vermilion. The larger figures are hollow.

Unbroken figures are rare, and most are missing an arm, leg or other body part. In many cases, the parts have been cut off.

These types of dogū have been found in the Kamegaoka Site in Tsugaru, Aomori Prefecture; the Teshiromori Site in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture; the Ebisuda Site in Tajiri, Miyagi Prefecture; and the Izumisawa Kaizuka Site in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture. All the sites listed have been designated as Important Cultural Properties.

Footnotes

References

References

1. (2012). "土偶". Shogakukan.
2. (2 October 2009). "The Dogu Have Something to Tell Us". The Japan Times.
3. (2012). "土偶". Shogakukan.
4. (2012). "Jōmon figurines". Shogakukan.
5. (2012). "土偶". Shogakukan.
6. (2012). "The new hakodate jomon culture center, minamikayabe, japan". Material Religion.
7. "Timeline of Art History: Japan, 2000–1000 B.C.". The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
8. Takayama (1970) "[[Archaeology, Ethnology & Anthropology of Eurasia]]", p.76-77
9. Arnold Rubin (1988) "Marks of civilization: artistic transformations of the human body", p.111-113
10. Margo DeMello(1992) "Encyclopedia of Body Adornment", p.167
11. Public interest Ibaraki education foundation Foundation. (2013). "上境旭台貝塚３".
12. (1943). Jinruigaku Zasshi. Tōkyō Jinrui Gakkai. link