The Prehistoric Jomon and Ideological Conflict in Contemporary Japan

Summary

This paper aims to suggest an alternative perspective to understand the "Jomon" in contemporary Japan within the context of public archaeology, paying attention to the contact zone between archaeology and the public. Contemporary Japanese society includes an ideological conflict with regard to an international cooperation with East Asian countries, a nuclear plant politics, and a modern history education under the situation of the post-cold war equilibrium and globalization. The conflict is not one between the old-school and organized left wing movement based on Marxism and the conservative right wing regime, but among the naturally-rising discursive social movements, the group of haters of liberalism and the one of cautioners to the danger of return to totalism during the war. Although the "Jomon period" archaeologically references a long-term period (approximately 16000 BP to 3000/2500 BP) that begins with the emergence of pottery up to the introduction of rice paddy agricultural system from Korean peninsula, the "Jomon" has multiple meanings between the publics in Japan apart from the strict archaeological definition. This paper will describe how archaeological discoveries related to the "Jomon" are enhancing of rivalry of social movements as important actors.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)

Keywords

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