Editing Japanese art (section)

=== Jōmon art ===
The first settlers of Japan were the [[Jōmon]] people ({{Circa|10,500|300 BCE}}),<ref name="History of Japanese Art">{{cite book |last1=Mason |first1=Penelope |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofjapanes0000maso/mode/2up |title=History of Japanese Art |date=1993 |publisher=Harry N. Abrams, Inc., Publishers |isbn=0-8109-1085-3 |p=13 |url-access=registration}}</ref> named for the [[rope|cord]] markings that decorated the surfaces of their clay vessels They were [[nomad]]ic hunter-gatherers who later practiced organized farming and built cities with populations of hundreds if not thousands. They built simple houses of wood and thatch set into shallow earthen pits to provide warmth from the soil. They crafted [[Jōmon pottery|lavishly decorated pottery storage vessels]], clay figurines called ''[[dogū]]'', and crystal jewels.

====Early Jōmon period====
During the Early Jōmon period (5000–2500 BCE),<ref name="History of Japanese Art"/> villages started to be discovered and ordinary everyday objects were found such as ceramic pots for boiling water. The pots found during this time had flat bottoms and elaborate designs made out of materials such as bamboo. It is believed that some early Jōmon figurines may have been used as fertility objects based on their breasts and broad hips.<ref name="History of Japanese Art"/>

====Middle Jōmon period====
[[File:Jar, Japan, Middle to Late Jomon period, 35th-11th century BC, earthenware - Princeton University Art Museum - DSC07118.jpg|thumb|Jar; middle to late Jomon period; 35th-11th century BCE]]
The Middle Jōmon period (2500–1500 BCE),<ref name="History of Japanese Art"/> differed from the Early Jōmon Period in many ways. These people were less nomadic and began to settle in villages. They created useful tools that to process the food they gathered and hunted, which made life easier.  Through the numerous aesthetically pleasing ceramics found during this period, it is evident that they  had a stable economy and more leisure time. In addition, the people of the Middle Jōmon period differed from their ancestors in their development of vessels for specific functions, for example, pots for storage.<ref name="History of Japanese Art"/> The decorations on these vessels were more realistic than those on  early Jōmon ceramics.<ref name="History of Japanese Art"/>

====Late and Final Jōmon period====
[[File:Dogu Miyagi 1000 BCE 400 BCE.jpg|thumb|[[Dogū]] figurine from the site Ebisuda of [[Ōsaki]], [[Miyagi prefecture]] (1000–400 BCE)]]
During the Late and Final Jōmon period (1500–300 BCE),<ref name="History of Japanese Art"/> the weather grew  colder, prompting settlers to move away from the mountains. The main food source was fish, which led them to develop fishing tools and techniques. In addition, the increase in the number of vessels suggests that each household had its own stock. Some vessels found during the Late and Final Jōmon Period were damaged which might indicate that they were used for rituals. In addition, figurines were found with distinctive fleshy bodies and goggle-like eyes.<ref name="History of Japanese Art"/>

'''Dogū figurines'''

[[Dogū]] ("earthen figure") are small humanoid and animal [[figurine]]s dated to the end of the [[Jōmon period]].<ref name="d" /> They were produced all over Japan, except [[Okinawa Prefecture|Okinawa]].<ref name="d">{{cite encyclopedia|encyclopedia=Dijitaru Daijisen |title=土偶 |url=http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ |access-date=2012-07-20 |year=2012 |publisher=Shogakukan |location=Tokyo |language=ja |trans-title=Dogū |oclc=56431036 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070825113418/http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ |archive-date=2007-08-25 }}</ref> According to some scholars, the ''dogū'' were [[Effigy|effigies]] of people and might have been used in   [[sympathetic magic]].<ref name="kokushi">{{cite encyclopedia|encyclopedia=Kokushi Daijiten |title=土偶 |url=http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ |access-date=2012-07-21 |year=2012 |publisher=Shogakukan |location=Tokyo |language=ja |trans-title=Dogū |oclc=683276033 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070825113418/http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ |archive-date=2007-08-25 }}</ref> ''Dogū'' are small [[clay]] figures, typically {{Convert|10 to 30|cm|abbr=off|frac=2}} high.<ref name="enc" /> Most are  female, with large eyes, small waists and wide hips.<ref name="d" /> Many have large bellies,  suggesting that they were [[mother goddess]]es.<ref name="enc">{{cite encyclopedia|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Japan |title=Jōmon figurines |url=http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ |access-date=2012-07-21 |year=2012 |publisher=Shogakukan |location=Tokyo |oclc=56431036 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070825113418/http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ |archive-date=2007-08-25 }}</ref>