Jōmon Goddess, Archaeological relic at Yamagata Prefectural Museum, Japan
The Jōmon Goddess is a clay figurine roughly 45 centimeters tall featuring geometric patterns carved across its surface and an elongated body shape. The face shows simplified features with small perforations, and the overall form suggests careful planning in its creation.
Discovered in 1986 at the Nishinomae site in Yamagata Prefecture, it received National Treasure status in September 2012. This designation reflects its importance as one of the most significant artifacts from the Middle Jōmon period.
This clay figurine shows how Jōmon-period people expressed their ideas about body forms and what mattered to them spiritually. The carefully carved patterns and proportions suggest it held meaning beyond everyday use for those who made and kept it.
The figurine is housed at Yamagata Prefectural Museum where it is kept in a carefully controlled environment to ensure its preservation. Visitors should note that it is not always on display, as it is occasionally loaned to other institutions for exhibitions.
Among the four clay figurines designated as National Treasures in Japan, this one stands out for being nearly complete with all its original parts. Its exceptional height and finely carved details make it an outstanding example of what artisans created thousands of years ago.
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