Sekibō

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Late and Final Jōmon sekibō, here labelled "phallic stones" (The Museum, Archaeological Institute of Kashihara, Nara Prefecture)

Sekibō (石棒), sometimes translated as "stone rods",[1] are a type of archaeological artefact from Jōmon Japan, with examples known also from the Yayoi period.[2]

Overview

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Larger Middle to Late Jōmon sekibō, one metre (3 ft 3 in) or more in length, sometimes stood upright at the centre of arrangements of stones or in pit-dwellings, while smaller Late and Final Jōmon examples are associated with sekken and sekitō stone blades.[3] Due to their shape, sekibō are often interpreted as symbols of male sexuality, as opposed to the more female dogū and gangū.[3] Similarly to these clay and stone figurines, many sekibō show signs of intentional damage, perhaps from ritual practices relating to fertility.[4][5] Sekibō may be the antecedents of the phalli found at shrines and festivals in present-day Japan.[6]

Important Cultural Properties

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Four sekibō from Midorikawa Higashi Site in Kunitachi, Tokyo, held at Kunitachi Local Museum, have been collectively designated an Important Cultural Property.[1][7]

See also

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sekibō.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Midorikawa Higashi". Japanese Archaeological Association. 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  2. ^ Akiyama, Kōzō (2002). 弥生の石棒 [Stone Rods of the Yayoi Period]. Journal of the Japanese Archaeological Association (in Japanese and English). 9 (14): 127–136. doi:10.11215/nihonkokogaku1994.9.14_127.
  3. ^ a b Habu, Junko (2004). Ancient Jomon of Japan. Cambridge University Press. pp. 151–155. ISBN 978-0-521-77213-6.
  4. ^ 石棒 [Sekibō] (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  5. ^ 石棒 [Sekibō] (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  6. ^ 石棒 [Sekibō] (in Japanese). Tamagawa University Museum of Education. June 2001. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  7. ^ 石棒　東京都緑川東遺跡出土 [Sekibō from Midorikawa Higashi Site, Tokyo] (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved 11 March 2025.