Ancient Jomon clay ear ornaments discovered in western Japan

Lacquer-coated, clay earrings recently unearthed at the Hachijo-kita ruin in Yamato-Koriyama, Nara Prefecture (Kazuto Tsukamoto)

YAMATO-KORIYAMA, Nara Prefecture--Archaeologists have unearthed a rare pair of large clay earrings from the latter part of the Jomon Pottery Culture (c. 8000 B.C.-300 B.C.) period at the Hachijo-kita ruin site here.

The prefecture-run Archaeological Institute of Kashihara said July 6 the artifacts, coated with red lacquer, date to around 1500 B.C.-1000 B.C.

They are 3.7 centimeters and 4 cm in diameter and have 1.4-cm and 1.8-cm holes, respectively, running through their centers. They are both 1.5 cm thick.

The earrings, which archaeologists call “ear plugs,” were apparently worn by inlaying them in holes pierced into the earlobes.

Similar ear ornaments have been widely found in eastern Japan, but they are seldom discovered in a western region.

The institute plans to display the ancient artifacts at its museum in Kashihara between July 18 and Sept. 6. By KAZUTO TSUKAMOTO ajw.asahi.com