Domen (clay mask)
Domen or "clay masks" are one of the ceramic artefact types of Jōmon Japan, alongside doban, dogū, and Jōmon pots.
Overview
Some 140 masks are known from the Jōmon period, including c. 120 of clay, ten of shell, and a handful in stone. Mainly Late and Final Jōmon, they are particularly numerous in Tōhoku, including from funerary contexts. Some masks have holes for string for wearing; other smaller examples may have been placed on the forehead, hung on the chest, or carried in the hands. Some masks may have been partly of clay, fitted with sections of wood, bark, or leather. Styles include "Dogū#Shakōkidogū, "tear-shedding", and "crooked-nosed" masks.
Three domen have been designated Important Cultural Properties:Domen from Chitose, Hokkaido Domen from Kamegaoka in Tsugaru, Aomori Prefecture Domen from Kitaakita, Akita Prefecture