Rock figurine - Gangu

In the narrow sense, it refers to stone figurines that were mainly excavated in the Tohoku region during the final Jomon period. Soft stones such as tuff and sandstone were chosen for the stones, and their shapes and uses are thought to be nearly identical to the clay figurines of the so-called Kamegaoka culture area from the same period. In addition to these, there are also small rock figurines from the final period in which only the outlines of the figurines were carved out of pieces of obsidian. These have also been excavated in Hokkaido and the Kamchatka Peninsula, and so a connection to the north is considered.

Furthermore, kokeshi-shaped stone products have been excavated from the Iwato Site in Oita Prefecture, which dates back to the late Pre-Pottery Period, and a flat chlorite schist pebble with a line-carved depiction of a woman has been excavated from the Kamikuroiwa Site in Ehime Prefecture, which dates back to the early Jomon Period. These can also be included in the category of rock figurines in the broad sense, but it is currently difficult to directly link their lineages.

[Kazuyoshi Otsuka]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

狭義には、縄文時代晩期に東北地方でおもに出土する人形の石製品。石材は、凝灰岩や砂岩などの軟質なものが選ばれ、形状や用途は、同時期のいわゆる亀ヶ岡文化圏の土偶(どぐう)とほぼ同一とみられる。これとは別に、晩期には黒曜石片を輪郭のみ人形に加工した小形の岩偶も存在する。これは、北海道やカムチャツカ半島などでも出土しており、北方との関連が考慮される。

　なお、先土器時代後期の大分県岩戸遺跡からは、こけし形石製品が出土しており、また縄文時代初頭の愛媛県上黒岩(かみくろいわ)遺跡出土の扁平(へんぺい)な緑泥片岩の小礫(しょうれき)に、線刻で女性を表現したものがある。これらも広義の岩偶に含めることができるが、直接的に相互の系譜を結び付けることは現在のところむずかしい。

［大塚和義］

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