An Archaeological History of Japan, 30,000 B.C. to A.D. 700

Koji Mizoguchi

ISBN 10: 0812236513 / ISBN 13: 9780812236514

Published by University of Pennsylvania Press, 2002

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Description:

An original, substantial contribution to interpretive archaeology (the first of its kind for Japan and East Asia), An Archaeological History of Japan addresses a broad range of issues concerning the self-identification of groups and the use of the past in contemporary society. Series: Archaeology, Culture & Society. Num Pages: 288 pages, 64 illus. BIC Classification: 1FPJ; HB; HD; JH. Category: (U) Tertiary Education (US: College). Dimension: 229 x 152 x 25. Weight in Grams: 645. . 2002. y First printing. Hardcover. . . . . Books ship from the US and Ireland. Seller Inventory # V9780812236514

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Synopsis:

A notion widely shared among the Japanese is that a unique culture has existed uninterrupted on the archipelago since the first human settlements more than 30,000 years ago. The idea of a continuous shared Japanese culture, often described as "Japanese-ness," is epitomized by material items ranging from Zen Buddhist stone gardens and tea ceremony equipment to such archaeological artifacts as the prehistoric Jomon clay figurines. An Archaeological History of Japan challenges this notion by critically examining archaeological evidence as well as the way it has been interpreted.

By combining techniques of traditional archaeological investigation with the tools of contemporary critical sociological and anthropological theory, An Archaeological History of Japan reveals the contingent, reflexive nature of how the prehistoric inhabitants of the Japanese islands identified themselves as they mapped their social and cultural environment. Koji Mizoguchi demonstrates that this process of self-identification underwent transformations as societies and technology changed, indicating that there is no intrinsic connection binding present-day Japanese with people of the past.

About the Author: Koji Mizoguchi is Associate Professor of Archaeology at the Graduate School of Social and Cultural Studies, Kyushu University, Japan. He has also taught Japanese Archaeology at the Institute of Archaeology, University College, London since 2000.

Bibliographic Details

Title: An Archaeological History of Japan, 30,000 ...
Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press
Publication Date: 2002
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: New