Japanese antiques provide a link to the rich culture and fascinating history of Japan. However, this is only one the many reasons they are admired, studied, and collected. Their superb craftsmanship, combined with an intricate attention to detail, makes them highly coveted objects in the antiques market. A look into the history of Japanese antiques will shed some additional light on why they are so valuable. Most archaeologists believe that the earliest Japanese culture dates back as far as 100,000 years. This was the Jomon Period, which is named after the 'jomon' or cord-marked pattern style of pottery of the period. Agricultural development began in the Yayoi Period. Many Japanese bronze and iron tools and ornaments are supposedly from this period. The Japanese art of ningyo supposedly originated in the Yomon Period. Ningyo are traditional Japanese dolls. They could represent children, members of the imperial court, warriors and heroes, fairy-tale characters, gods or even demons. Some of the dolls were also used as household shrines. Today, it is possible to find Japanese antique dolls that are being sold by reputable collectors. Japanese swords are another popular Japanese antique. The oldest swords on record in Japan are the two that were sent as a present to Queen Himeko from China during Wei-dynasty in 240 a.d. The year 280 a.d. brought many more iron swords that were imported from China to Japan. Centuries later, the famous Samurai Sword would be created. Today, the intricate detail and find craftsmanship involved in the making of Japanese dolls, Samurai Swords, are any of the other fascinating Japanese antiques makes them a valuable addition to anyone's collection.
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