Comments on: The World’s First Pottery Created in Jomon, Japan http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/worlds-first-pottery-created-jomon-japan/12280 for environmentalists who don't take themselves too seriously Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:31:59 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Bennett (author) http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/worlds-first-pottery-created-jomon-japan/12280/comment-page-1#comment-235866 Bennett (author) Wed, 10 Jun 2009 17:51:31 +0000 http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/?p=12280#comment-235866 The further explanation of the Ainu Iomante, bear ritual' by dosankodebbie is very good. Yes, the Mountain God resides in the bear cub. Iomante has the appearance of 'sacrifice' in a simplistic sense but it is much more. When the bear cub dies, the Mountain God returns to its realm as dosankodebbie states. Having received great respect while an honored guest on 'earth', the Mountain God now elevates Ainu status. Iomante illustrates the reciprocal 'nurturing' that occurs between the gods and humans in the best of mythopoetics. The further explanation of the Ainu Iomante, bear ritual’ by dosankodebbie is very good. Yes, the Mountain God resides in the bear cub. Iomante has the appearance of ’sacrifice’ in a simplistic sense but it is much more. When the bear cub dies, the Mountain God returns to its realm as dosankodebbie states. Having received great respect while an honored guest on ‘earth’, the Mountain God now elevates Ainu status. Iomante illustrates the reciprocal ‘nurturing’ that occurs between the gods and humans in the best of mythopoetics.

]]> By: Marcus http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/worlds-first-pottery-created-jomon-japan/12280/comment-page-1#comment-235767 Marcus Wed, 10 Jun 2009 09:05:34 +0000 http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/?p=12280#comment-235767 Great research, its amazing the detail these early works had. One can only hope there's more work done ot protct the earth so we don't lose hidden treasures like these. http://tinyurl.com/lzm6al Great research, its amazing the detail these early works had. One can only hope there’s more work done ot protct the earth so we don’t lose hidden treasures like these.
http://tinyurl.com/lzm6al

]]> By: dosankodebbie http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/worlds-first-pottery-created-jomon-japan/12280/comment-page-1#comment-235721 dosankodebbie Wed, 10 Jun 2009 01:36:25 +0000 http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/?p=12280#comment-235721 The segment on the Ainu was very informative, but I have a problem with the following passage: "It is also fascinating that the Ainu practiced a Paleolithic bear ritual known as Iomante into the 1920s, a ceremony that could reflect their Jomon ancestor origins in late Paleolithic East Asia. A bear cub was raised, fattened and then sacrificed to their mountain gods." The thing is, the bear itself *was* the mountain god in the Ainu world view. Their perspective was that the mountain god had come down to the land of humans bearing a fur coat and meat as a gift to the humans. The bear cub raised for the ceremony was regarded as an honored guest, and then, when the time was right, "sent home" to the land of the gods with great honor and celebration. The idea was that if the bear god enjoyed its time among the humans, it would be more likely to come back with more gifts of fur and meat. The segment on the Ainu was very informative, but I have a problem with the following passage: “It is also fascinating that the Ainu practiced a Paleolithic bear ritual known as Iomante into the 1920s, a ceremony that could reflect their Jomon ancestor origins in late Paleolithic East Asia. A bear cub was raised, fattened and then sacrificed to their mountain gods.”

The thing is, the bear itself *was* the mountain god in the Ainu world view. Their perspective was that the mountain god had come down to the land of humans bearing a fur coat and meat as a gift to the humans. The bear cub raised for the ceremony was regarded as an honored guest, and then, when the time was right, “sent home” to the land of the gods with great honor and celebration. The idea was that if the bear god enjoyed its time among the humans, it would be more likely to come back with more gifts of fur and meat.

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