Smiling Figurine

Discussion

FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

Figurines from the Jomon period (about 14,000-300 BCE) have been found in greater numbers than figural representations from Neolithic China or Korea (about 10,000-1500 BCE). Though roughly executed, this figurine exudes human expression. Scholars have found a large number of these figurines, suggesting that they played an important role in Japan’sritual life at the time–something we don’t know much about.

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