#local history
Subscribe to the Special Collections Newsletter!
Don’t forget, Special Collections has a monthly e-newsletter! This month, we asked project worker Katie Falbo some questions, including the weirdest subject heading she’s ever used. “Probably ‘Working cats’”, she said. “I’ve personally only used it once, but I’m always looking out for more photos to include with that subject heading.”
Each month we share new and noteworthy things from our local history archives and rare books department—upcoming events, Digital Collections updates, new archival acquisitions from individuals and community organizations, newly completed finding aids, featured blog posts, and more. Subscribe from the Special Collections page or from the newsletters section of the Contact Us page. Newsletter archives will be available on our websitefor up to 12 months.
A Local Museum for Local People (called David)
Our location is a Very Rural tourist information centre, with two visitors, two volunteers and a boarder collie.
Me: We did try to visit the local museum, but it was closed.
Tourist information lady: That is strange. It’s after Easter and before October, and it’s a Tuesday, and it’s not gone half one yet. It should be open, David is very keen.
Her friend: Unless The Other David was due on today?
TIL: I’ll phone David for you and ask him to pop down and open the museum.
Me: Stammers about that not being necessary, really, even as she’s making the call.
*quiet fear that this is about to go full League of Extraordinary Gentlemen*
TIL: He’s not picking up.
Me: THANKS BUT DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT, WE’LL CHECK OUT THE OLD CINEMA INSTEAD!
*visitors politely flee*
Brief History On Japanese Graves
A friend of mine requested to write a post regarding how general graves, tombs, and cemeteries in Japan have evolved over time in chronological order.
(Discretion: Images of human remains)
ー Jōmon Period (and prior)
Most of the cemeteries during this period were simple, community burial ground with stones surrounding the location like the ones seen in Hajime-sawashita Site [はじめ沢下遺跡] (Midori Ward [緑区], Sagamihara City [相模原市], Kanagawa Prefecture) above. Corpses buried underground are discovered resting in different positions where some had their body curved in an “U” shape which is a style referred to as Kussō [屈葬] or flexed burial while others such as the one below from Mid-Jōmon Period in Inariyama Site [稲荷山貝塚] (Minami Ward [南区], Yokohama City [横浜市], Kanagawa Prefecture) are positioned with all their four limbs stretched out which is called Shintensō [伸展葬] or extended burial.¹
ー Yayoi Period〜Kofun Period
This is the period in Japanese history when coffins began to appear as well as the diversification of burial methods. At the end of Jōmon Period and throughout Yayoi period, Kamekanbo [甕棺墓] or “jar burial” like the ones above discovered in Yoshinogari Historical Park [吉野ヶ里歴史公園] (Yoshinogari Town [吉野ケ里町], Kanzaki Dist. [神崎郡], Saga Prefecture) becomes a common sight where jars/pots made of clay functions as a coffin used predominantly for placing deceased children² and there are two types of designs: Tankan [単棺] design like the one below left from Yoshitake-takagi Site [吉武高木遺跡] (Nishi Ward [西区], Fukuoka City [福岡市], Fukuoka Prefecture) where the corpse is inserted in a single jar/pot³ and Awaseguchi-kan [合口棺] design like the one below right from Nishioda Site [西小田遺跡] (Chikushino City [筑紫野市], Fukuoka Prefecture) where the opening of two separate jars/pots are conjoined together and sealed with pasting an additional clay around the brim to form a single coffin⁴.
Another common coffins from Yayoi Period (which is then carried on to Kofun Period) are stone coffins like the recently excavated ones in Nagai Site [長井遺跡] (Yukuhashi City [行橋市], Fukuoka Prefecture) below and the unique feature of each coffins are that the corpse are found divided into three separate segments⁵; a custom that was unprecedented up until the excavation of this cemetery in year 2019. Motive behind this custom is currently unknown due to it being discovered just recently.
ー Kofun Period〜Heian Period
Though the burial custom amongst commoners haven’t changed that much since Yayoi Period, this time period is when “mega-mausoleum” prepared for ancient monarchs began to appear. Such as the famous Daisenryō-kofun [大仙陵古墳] above in Sakai City [堺市] (Ōsaka) where Emperor Nintoku [仁徳天皇] is believed to lay rest. However, not all Kofun are as large as the one in Sakai City like Yonezuka-kofun [米塚古墳] in Iwata City [磐田市] (Shizuoka Prefecture) below which is comparatively far more smaller and obscure.
Although, these forms of mausoleums or any tombs in general, even began to shrink in size as well as becoming more simplistic due to the introduction of Buddhism and cremation where burnt bone dusts were collected then stored in pots/jars before burring⁶. Like with this Nara〜Heian Period grave below in Babawatauchi-yato Site [馬場綿内谷遺跡] (Tsurumi Ward [鶴見区], Yokohama City [横浜市], Kanagawa Prefecture), but not much is known aside from it being predominantly practiced by nobles.
(I’ve hit the maximum number of images in one post. So, the blog will continue on the reblogged post. Sorry for the inconveniences)
Sources:
1.“Jōmon-jidai-no-haka” [縄文時代の墓] via Kanagawa Archeology Foundation [かながわ考古学財団] (official)
2.Via Yoshinogari Historical Park [吉野ヶ里歴史公園] (official)
4.“”
5.Via Nishinippon-shinbun [西日本新聞] (news article)
6.“Nara Heian-jidai-no-haka” [奈良・平安時代の墓] via Kanagawa Archeology Foundation [かながわ考古学財団] (official)
7. “Ana-no-kōkogaku Yagura…” [穴の考古学 やぐら・横穴・洞穴の謎をさぐる] (1970) by Naotada Akahoshi [赤星 直忠] (1902-1991)
8. “Chūsei-toshi-kamakura…” [中世都市鎌倉-遺跡が語る武士の都] (1995) by Shinjirō Kawano [河野 真知郎] (n/a)
9.“Waseda-wīkurī” [早稲田ウィークリー] (2019) by Waseda University [早稲田大学] (academic article online)
What is the meaning of “compassion” embedded within the Lotus Sūtra?
Buddhist Parables (Chapter 1.): Migawari-jizō And The Great Compassion|能遮学侶|note