1907.52.25

Collection type

Object

Description

Dark green unclassified polished jade stone axe with four side. The top of the but is flat. The lower part of the body is broken away. [Fumiko Ohinata, Japanese Archaeology Project 1996-2000]

Geographical reference

Japan

Asia > Eastern Asia > Japan

Northern Japan

Cultural groups

Japanese

Person

Field collector Basil Hall Chamberlain

PRM source Basil Hall Chamberlain

Date / Period

Archaeological period: Jōmon 縄文時代

Date collected

By 1907

Acquisition information

Donated: 1907

Materials and processes

Material Jadeite Stone, Process Flaked, Process Ground, Process Polished

Dimensions

Depth: max 19 mm, Length: max 53 mm, Width: max 42 mm, Weight 60.5 g

Object numbers

Accession number: 1907.52.25 Other numbers: JAC 293

Research and responses

Listed and described as JAC293 on page 85 of the unpublished draft typescript 'The Japanese Archaeology Collections at the Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford', by Fumiko Ohinata and Jeremy Coote (dated 2002): 'Stone Tools ... Stone Axes ... Polished axes … There are numerous variations in the shapes of polished axes, but in this section all the polished axes housed in the Pitt Rivers Museum are classified into three main categories after the traditional classification scheme [see S Hayakawa, 1983, ‘Masei sekifu’ in Jomon bunka no kenkyu 9 (Studies of Jomon Culture), edited by S. Kato, T. Kobayashi and T. Fujimoto, published in Tokyo by Yuzankaku] A: four-sided polished axes with rectangular sections. B: axes with rounded cutting edges and biconvex sections, C: Pestle-shaped polished stone axes with a pointed butt. The handle was attached perpendicularly to the body of Type A axes and they were probably used as hand axes or chisels ... The helves of Type B and Type C axes were attached in parallel to the working edge of the bodies and because of their weight and large size they were probably used for cutting down wood ... / JAC 293; Plate 32.2 / North Japan / Dark green jade / (5.3)×4.2×1.9 cm; 60.5 g / Unclassified polished stone axe with four side. The top of the but is flat. The lower part of the body is broken away. / Purchased from Chamberlain in November 1907; PRM 1907.52.25.' Also illustrated in Plate 32.2. (Copy of typescript in RDF: Researchers: Ohinata and Coote). [MN 24/08/2009]

Search terms: Tool, Weapon, Axe