Pot (Yayoi Pottery)

This bisque (fired pottery) pot was excavated from the ruins of a village that existed about 1900 years ago (during the late Yayoi Period) and was located on the edge of a plateau in present-day Omiya Park, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. This pot was found in a Yayoi Period grave; the grave was surrounded by ditches to form a square-like shape when viewed from above. Other artifacts found in the grave include another pot, two serving tables, and two glass beads. This jar has been colored red, and its surface has been carefully polished, giving the pot an air of refinement. Overall, the pot is an ancient artifact characteristic of Yayoi Period ruins in the Omiya area of Saitama Prefecture. The Saitama Prefectural Museum of History and Folklore is located at the ruins from which this pot was excavated, and visitors can see the grave where the pot was found and replicas of Yayoi Period buildings. This pot is a prefecture-designated Important Cultural Property.