Clay Figurine / Excavated from Kazabari 1 Site, Hachinohe

One Figurine, National Treasure since 2009

Clay Figurine / Excavated from Kazabari 1 Site, Hachinohe (土偶, Dogu) is a late Jomon-period figurine at the Korekawa Jomon Museum, 1 Yokoyama, Korekawa, Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture, made an Important Cultural Property in 1997 and designated a National Treasure on 10 July 2009. The owner is Hachinohe City.

The quantity is one piece, using a measure word that appears here for the first time.

The museum records it as 19.8 centimetres high, 14.2 centimetres wide and 15.2 centimetres deep. Aomori Prefecture gives its by-name as the figurine with palms pressed together, and records that it is on view for a fee.

One Piece out of 664 Became the National Treasure

The earlier and later listings cover different things.

The museum records that on 30 June 1997, 664 objects of the later late Jomon period from the Kazabari 1 site, with two grains of carbonised rice as an appendage, became an Important Cultural Property.

It continues: on 10 July 2009, one of those objects, this figurine, was designated a National Treasure.

All 664 were listed together, and twelve years later a single piece went further. Aomori Prefecture likewise calls it the one figurine that became a National Treasure out of the Important Cultural Property.

The Inariyama, Fujinoki and Hirabaru materials all became National Treasures as single lots. At Kankiin, two buildings listed on one day parted when only one advanced.

Here one piece was drawn out of a lot. What had been listed together was afterwards divided.

Broken and Mended in the Jomon Period

Aomori Prefecture's record notes a repair.

Before the dwelling was abandoned, the figurine had already broken into four parts, and the breaks had been joined again with natural asphalt.

People of the time mended what had broken. Four pieces were stuck back together with natural bitumen.

At the Jodoji pagoda, four rounds of repair were recorded, from new tiles in 1495 to a full dismantling in 1936. That was maintenance in ages after the object was made.

This repair was made some three and a half thousand years ago. Within the period the object belongs to, it had already been mended.

Colour is recorded as well: the whole figure was originally coated in red pigment. What can be seen now is the surface after that coating was lost.

The Owner Is a City

A kind of owner appears here that has not appeared before.

The field names Hachinohe City: a local authority.

Owners so far have included temples and shrines, religious corporations, individuals, a foundation, the state, a national institute, a company, an inter-university corporation and a national university. The Ninsei tea jar belonged to a religious body of modern founding.

A city owning a National Treasure is new. The figurine is kept at the Korekawa Jomon Museum.

The name is recorded too. Aomori Prefecture notes that it was called the figurine with palms pressed together from the moment of its discovery. The eyeless sutra and the Odenta took their by-names in later ages; this one was named by those who dug it out.

Seeing It

The figurine is at the Korekawa Jomon Museum, owned by Hachinohe City. Aomori Prefecture records it as on view for a fee, so it is on permanent display.

How it came to light is recorded. The museum states that it was excavated in July 1989 during emergency work occasioned by the planting of yams.

At the Ataka and Kurohashi shell mounds, one location came to light through land readjustment and the other through a river in flood. Here the planting of a field was the occasion.

The assessment is plain. Aomori Prefecture writes that the asphalt repair, the red pigment over the whole body, the posture with palms together and the completeness of the piece give it very high value for understanding Jomon custom.

It adds that no seated figurine of comparable type has been found. Exhibition plans can change, so check the museum's information before travelling.