Past Exhibitions
- Special Viewing: Yayoi Pottery of Shikoku and Cinnabar and Iron Production in the Yayoi and Kofun Periods
- June 5, 2021 - July 4, 2021
This exhibit features Yayoi pottery from Ehime and Tokushima prefectures on Shikoku as well as artifacts excavated from production sites of the Yayoi (5th c. BCE–3rd c. CE) and Kofun (3rd–6th c.) periods, which exemplify major social changes. Yayoi culture covered an area ranging from Kyushu to Tohoku, with regional differences characterized by typical livelihoods and pottery types. Entering the Kofun period, however, social diversification increased in accordance with agricultural output and local industries. In particular, the production of cinnabar (mercury sulfide, also called vermilion) and iron products exemplified societal advancement. Cinnabar and iron production thus contributed to the formation of a diverse agrarian society and new social foundations for the Japanese archipelago.
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