Features of ritual practice in the north of West Japan in Yayoi period

This article discusses ritual practice of the north of West Japan during the Yayoi period. Throughout the Yayoi period, different regional and local features gradually developed in the Japanese islands. One of the areas where these differences are demonstrated quite clearly is the historical province of Izumo on the coast of the Sea of Japan. Specific features of the funerary ritual of this area, such as specially shaped burial mounds, are emphasized. These include stool-like mounds characterized by their large size and rich grave goods. The most well-known archaeological site of this type is Nishidani burial ground, Shimane Prefecture. The occurrence of a large number of ceramic vessels, abundant beads, and weapons in the graves allows suggest the high status of the buried. The territory under consideration is characterized by the finds of a large number of bronze objects, such as swords, spearheads, and dotaku bells in earthen pits. The discovery of these objects buried on hillsides far from settlements and burials suggests their ritual significance of a communal nature. We consider possible interpretations of the placement of bronze objects in the ground on the example of the site of Kojindani, Shimane Prefecture. Ceramic vessels with drawings, which became widespread in the middle of the Yayoi period, provide rich source of information about ritual practice. The composition on a vessel from the Sumida site, Tottori Prefecture, reveals elements of a possible ritual. The peculiarities of ritual practice in the north of western Japan suggest that oversea communications might have been the ways of exchange of ritual elements.