Hairpin

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Jōmon period is the earliest period in Japanese history, lasting from roughly 14,000 to 300 BCE. Using materials such as bone, antlers, and stone, the Jōmon people created not only utilitarian objects, such as harpoons and arrowheads, which supported their hunter-gatherer lifestyle, but also a variety of jewelry and objects used for religious purposes. Hairpins such as this one are relatively common, and may have had a spiritual as well as decorative purpose.

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