The Derivation and Circulation of Sue Ware Long-necked: Characteristics for Northern Japan

Long-necked jars in the Japanese archipelago, which from the seventh through the eighth centuries show a variety of forms including flask-shaped, shouldered, round-bodied, and bell-shaped items, are classifiedinto types A through J and compared with the situation for northern Japan. For the most part these become standardized from the latter portion of the eighth century as footed round-bodied forms. But in northern Japan for the ninth to tenth centuries, banded long-necked jars, having protruding bands ringing the body and neck portions, become widely distributed.<BR>At the same time, in the northern part of the region over which fortifications(josaku)were established, the northern Tohoku long-necked jar, for which a potter's wheel was not used when shaving down the body, becomes widely distributed, standing in contrast to items within the fortified region where administrative districts(kori)had been established, for which a wheel was used in this process. Dividing banded long-necked jars into class R1 having the latter type of shaving only, R3 the former type only, and R2 in which both types were used on the same vessel, the general distribution shows a contrast between class R1 in the area of Fukushima prefecture and R3 in Aomori and on the Pacific coast of Hokkaido, versus the coexistence of R1, R2, and R3 in the region with fortifications.<BR>The banded long-necked jars of northern Japan emerged in the first portion of the ninth century at the Aizu Oto kiln site and spread to the area where fortifications had been established. From there, this type of vessel bearing the characteristics of the northern Tohoku long-necked jar subsequently expanded over the region extending from the fortified area to the north, and class R3 items were produced at the Goshogawara kiln site. It is thought that the highly valued R1 class of banded long-necked jar, originally brought in as part of the government's program for dealing with the Emishi, degenerated into the hollow form of the R3 class, retaining only traces of its former decorative nature.