Polished Stone Axe (Masei sekifu)

Japan

Late Jōmon period (ca. 1500–1000 BCE)

Not on view

The polished axe (masei sekifu) or celt is the most common type of stone implement used during the Neolithic age in East Asia. Such examples have been excavated with Jōmon pottery, as well as with Yayoi pottery and bronze artifacts. The earliest Japanese examples are said to date to 30,0000 years B.C., and are among the oldest stone implements in the world.

Polished Stone Axe (Masei sekifu), Serpentine, Japan

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