Dogū (Clay Figurine)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Like most figurines found at Jōmon sites, this one is broken at the waist, perhaps deliberately. Archaeologists conjecture that such figurines were used in ancient practices to ensure fertility.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art