Drawings on Ceramics in Ancient Japan and Ancient Korea: Motifs, Compositions, Interpretation

The article explores the imagery found on ceramic vessels from the Paleometal epoch of the Japanese Islands and southern Korean Peninsula. This study of the artistic motifs and their comparative analysis is particularly significant, as it allows us to trace the dissemination of belief systems and ritual practices during this era. Notably, the Japanese vessels feature images of deer, including scenes depicting deer hunting and a deer with an arrow, as well as people in boats. These drawings were created using a sharp object to etch schematic designs that resemble pictograms. In contrast, mages from the Korean Peninsula are fewer in number and are characterized by painted designs. The authors highlight both the differences and common features between the two regions’ artworks. The comparative analysis indicates that the population of the Japanese islands borrowed certain rituals and ideas, such as agricultural practices involving deer, fortune telling with deer bones, and the use of bird imagery in agricultural cults. During the Paleometal era, maritime communication between the archipelago and the continent was both active and regular, which facilitated migration processes and allowed for mutual influence between local populations and newcomers. Elements of beliefs and ritual practices were adopted, blended with local traditions, and continued to evolve in modified forms.