Condition. The book is in Very Good condition. The front end page has a seal, a handstamped image of a man and a signature ("Arnold Genthe"). Head and foot of spine are soft and lightly frayed. Corners are lightly bumped and very lightly frayed. Edges have a few scrapes Light foxing and toning at the front and back but the text is clean and free of foxing and stains. Plates are clean and solid. Pages 535 & 615 have soiling in the margins.

To see the front end page, click here.

Munro, Neil Gordon:
Prehistoric Japan, Yokohama, 1st edition, 1908, 8vo (6 1/4 x 9 in - 16 x 22 cm), blue cloth with gilt lettering and design on spine and blindstamp design outlined in red on front cover, top edge gilt, color (chromolithograph) frontispiece, large color folding map and numerous illustrations (including 421 listed figures), i-xvii followed by errata sheet with 7 corrections, 1 advertisement at back, 705 pp.

A important record of archaeological finds in Japan. The book covers the early period of Japanese archaeological finds. It records a wealth of artifacts with extensive illustrations. Chapters include Paleolithic Phase, Neolithic Sites, Habitations, Implements and Utensils, Weapons, The Ceramic Art, Diet, Dress and Social Relations, Intermediate Pottery, Some Bronze Vestiges, Yamato Sites and Sepulchres, Yamato Relics of Metal and Stone, Yamato Pottery, Yamato Social Life and Relations and The Prehistoric Races.

Summary of Plates/Illustrations.

1. 4 color plates (printed one side only) including frontispiece & folding map
2. 26 black and white plates (printed one side only)
3. 213 black and white full page (printed front and back) (3 fold-out)
4. 124 text illustrations

   421 numbered figures/illustrations (presented in 1-4, above)

Scarce First Edition. The 1908, 1st edition, of this book is scarce. In the 1911, 2nd Edition, Munoro explains the circumstances in a note following the preface to the 1911 edition in these terms:

Most of this book was destroyed by fire immediately after completion. Reprinting has been delayed through the author's absence and pressure of other work. January, 1911.

A search of the WorldCat in April, 2004 indicates only 6 libraries shown as holding the 1st edition:

1. University of British Columbia, Vancouver,British Columbia
2. Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
3. University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
4. University of Missouri, St. Louis, Missouri
5. New York Public Library Research Library, New York City, New York
6. University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

On the other hand, over 60 libraries are shown as holding the 2nd edition.

To see the title page, click here.

Full Page Plates - Printed on One Side Only

Frontispiece - Chromolithograph

Figure 262 - Wood Cut, Black and White

Figure 395 - Wood Cut, Color Added

Figure 301 - Lithograph, Black and White

Figure 391 - Collotype, Black and White

Figure 398 - Collotype, Black and White

Figure 400 - Collotype, Black and White

 
Full Page Illustrations - Pages Printed Front and Back

Figure 169 - Halftone, Black and White

Figure 411 - Halftone, Black and White

Figure 170 - Halftone, Black and White (Foldout)

Contents

Contents
Preamble                                             1-34
Chapter  I.     Palaeolithic Phase                  37-44
Chapter  II.    Neolithic Sites                     44-67
Chapter  III.   Habitations                         68-88
Chapter  IV.    Implements and Utensils           105-150
Chapter  V.     Weapons                           151-165
Chapter  VI.    The Ceramic Art                   166-234
Chapter  VII.   Diet, Dress and Social Relations  235-292
Chapter  VIII.  Intermediate Pottery              293-307
Chapter  IX.    Some Bronze Vestiges               311-25
Chapter  X.     Yamato Sites and Sepulchres       326-386
Chapter  XI.    Yamato Relics of Metal and Stone  387-469
Chapter  XIL.   Yamato Pottery                    470-552
Chapter  XIII.  Yamato Social Life and Relations  553-610
Chapter  XIV.   Religion                          611-652
Chapter  XV.    The Prehistoric Races             661-676
Appendices A to E.                                681-685

Appendicies:

Map Showing the Distribution of Primiatve and Yamato
        Sites in Japan, 4 folds out, 1 fold up,
        color wood cut (Appendix A)

Shells from Japanese Primitive Sites
        Appendix B.  Two pages of text with 63 items listed
        Appendix C.  Black and white lithographed plate
        (4 folds out, 1 fold up) with 6 types of items
        illustrated

Discussion Regarding Prehistory Skulls (Appendix D)

Discussion of the Pigment Vermillion in Pottery
        Appendix E,

Reference Index

Subject Index

Tabulated Statement Regarding Injuries on Bones  Page 241 foldout

Adverisement for "Coins of Japan" by Munro 1 page not numbered

Illustrations/Figures

Illustrations
Figure. Page.
**Frontispiece.  Magatama (color - chromolithograph)
1.      Bronze Sword and Stone Substitute  7
2.      Bronze Arrowheads and Stone Substitute  8
3.      Stones (Possibly \Wrought from Drift Gravel  41
4.      Shells enclosed in others  57
5.      Surface and Section of Shell-heap at
          Mitsusawa  (Author's Excavations)  59
6.      Northern Section of Same  59
7.      South-east Section of Same  60
8.      North-east Section of Same  60
*9.      Longitudinal Section of Same  Facing 62 (Foldout)
10.     Eta Mitfo Under Construction  76
11.     Eta Mnto  77
12.     Eta Muro with Storm Screen  78
13.     Udd Muro  79
14.     Entrance to Eta Jllitrv  83
15.     Neolithic Axes  89
16.     Axes, Mallets and Chills  90
17.     Mallets and Knife  91
18.     Chisels, Drills, Knives, perhaps Hoes, etc.  92
19.     Rough Stone Implements  93
20.     Natural Stones and Roughly hewn Implements  94
21.     Fiddle-shaped Implements of Roughly hewn Stone  95
22.     Files, Hammers and Rubbing-stones  96
23.     Drill-weights and Hammers  97
24.     Knives  98
25.     Weapons and Implements  99
26.     Stone Implements  100
27.     Staghorn Fishing-hooks, Harpoon-head, etc.  101
28.     Harpoon-heads and Fishing Spears  102
29.     Harpoon-heads  103
30.     Bow-tips, Arrow;nocks and Arrow-heads  104
31.     Axes and Chisels  113
32.     Double-edged Axe  113
33.     Stone Implement, perhaps a Hoe  122
34.     "              "          123
35.     Sickles and Knives Facing  126 (Woodcut Plate)
36, 37. 38 and 39.  Stone Knives  127 (Woodcut)
40.     Saw  129
41.     Hone for sharpening Implements  130
42.     Awls and Bodkins  131
43.     Quern and Milling Stones  133
44.     Quern  134
45.    Ishizara, probably a Mill  135
46 and 47.    Mills or Mortars  136
48.     Upper Milling Stone   137
49.     Net Sinkers  140
50.     Fishing Hook of Staghorn  142
51.     Fishing-hook, Arrow-nock and Arrow-head  143
52.     Pitted Stones  145
53.     "  Head-covering" Stones  148
54.     Similar form in Earthenware  149
55 and 56.    Nondescript Stones  149
57.     Carved Stag Horn  150
58.     Arrow-heads of Leaf and Barbed Forms  153
59.     Arrow-heads of Leaf and Tanged Forms  154
60.     Arrow-heads of Unusual Form  Facing  156
61.     Spear and Javelin Heads  159
62 and 63.    Spear-heads of Polished Stone  160
64 and 65.    Batons and "sword"  161
66-7.   Seki-bo or Stone Clubs  162
67A.    Decoration of Seki-bo  Facing  164
68.     File of Pumice-stone  164
69 and 70.  Mace-heads  164-55
71.     Earthenware Objects, probably Fishing or other Weights 165
72.     Persistence of "Coiling " as a Decoration  168
73-9    Cooking Pots  172-8
80-1.   Pans  179
82-92.  Jars, Vases etc.  180-8
93-105  Bowls  189-194
106.    Cups  195
107-10. Bottles 196-8
111.    Nipple Pot  199
112.    "  and Bicornate Vase  200
113.    "  and Brazier, Lamp, or Incense Burner  201
114.    "   202
115.    "   Of Ring or Serpent Form  202
116.    Bottom of Broken Vessel which served as a Lamp  203
117.    Bowl and Brazier  204
118.    Brazier or Incense Burner(?) and Vessel with
          anthropomorphic Decoration  205
119.    Vessels, perhaps for Incense  206
120.    Strainer  207
121.    Stamp  208
122.    Discs and Ring of Baked Clay  209
123-42. Images and Anthropomorphs  209-30
143.    Carved Stones  233
144.    Anthropomorph  234
145.    Injury to Humerus  Facing 240
146.    Earthenware Image Found in Yezo  251
147.    "  showing Head Gear  253
148.    Textile Impressions on Pottery  255
149.    Image showing Hair-dressing and Tattooing  256
150.    "  Hair Arrangement  257
151.    Pattern (Uncommon) of Ainu Tattooing  258
152-4.  Tattooing or Face Painting  259
155     Wooden Anthropomorph of Ainu  261
156.    Ainu Female, showing Tattooing  262
157.    Perforated Shells  263
158.    Shell Bracelets  263
159.    Hair Pins, etc.  264
160.    Beads and Buttons  265
161.    Ornaments of Bone, Stone and Gay  266
162.    Primitive Magatama  Facing 280
163.    Designs in Colour  267
164.    Bowl, with Design in Colour  268
165.    Design in Low Relief  268
166.    Textile and other Impressions on Pottery  269
167.    Patterns on Potsherds (Mainly Incised)  270
168.    Patterns on Potsherds  271
169.    Patterns on Potsherds (Mainly Moulded)  272
*170.    Incised and Moulded Patterns  Facing 272 (2 folds-out)
*171.    Relief Mouldings  272 (2 folds-out)
172.    Lugs and perforated rims  273
173.    Lugs, etc.  274
174.    Ainu Female Dance  275
175.    Ainu Pipe-holders and Lids of Tobacco Boxes  276
176.    Ainu Moustache-lifters   277
177.    Ainu Knife Sheathes  278
178.    Mitsudomoe  282
179.    Lizard Form, Conventionalised for Space  286
180.    Patterns on Pottery resembling those of Ainu  290
181.    Patterns on Intermediate Pottery  298
182.    "                "   300
183.    Forms of Intermediate Pottery   Facing 304
184.    "                "   302
185-6.  Jars of Intermediate Pottery  302-3
187.    Ancient and Modern Vessels of Terra-cotta  305
188.    Terra-cotta Vessels  306
189-91. Bronze Weapons  312
192.    Bronze Weapon  316
193.    Bronze Arrow-heads  317
194.    Jar Coffin  317
195.    Chaldean Jar Coffin  318
196.    Bronze Bells  320
197-8.  Patterns on Chinese Bronze Drum and Japanese Bell.  322
199.    Bronze Hoe  324
200-1.  Stone Sarcophagi  329
202.    Stone Sarcophagus  330
203-4.  Terra-cotta Sarcophagi  330-1
205-6.  Dolmens in Kawachi  332
207.    Dolmen Entrance (Later Type)  333
208.    Megalithic Lintel of Later Dolmen  334
209.    Interior of same  335
210.    Compound Mound with Two Dolmens  336
211.    Interior of Two-chambered Dolmen  337
212.    Interior of Dolmen  338
213-4.  Entrance and Interior of Hut-shaped Cave  339
215.    Burial Caves in Shimotsuke  340
216.    Terra-cotta Coffin  350
217.    Outline Forms of Dolmens   Facing 352
218.    Entrance to Dolmen  355
219.    Plans of Dolmens  357
220.    Sketch of Dolmen Mound  359
221-5.  Rare Dolmens  360-3
226.    Outlines of Caves  Facing 364
227.    Outline of Simple Mound  368
228.    Sketch of Moated Mound  369
229.    Outlines of Compound Mounds  370
230.    Sketch-plan of Compound Mound at Mibu  372
231.    Stone Sepulchral Image  380
**232.  Yamato Signs on Dolmen Walls  Facing 384 (Woodcut w Color)
233-6.  Yamato Swords  389-92
237.    Scabbard Decoration  392
238.    Dirk or Knife  393
239.    Yamato Swords  393
240.    Yatnato Arrow-heads etc. 394
241.    Decoration of Pommel  395
242.    Yamato Arrow-heads  395
243.    Spear-head  396
244.    Armour  396
245-6.  Helmets  397
247.    Helmet, Stirrup etc.  398-9
248-50. Stirrups  398-9
251-2.  Bridle Bits  421
253.    Horse Ornaments  4O1
254.    Bronze Urn   402
255.    Iron Chisel, Axe or Hoc with Stone Substitute and
          Spindle Weight  402
256.    Iron Spades  403
257-8.  Bronze Mirrors  204-8
[259-61]. Plates present but not listed
262.    Arrow and Spear-heads  Facing 414
263.    Sounding Arrows etc.  416
264.    Chisel-ended Spear-head  417
265.    Figures on a Bronze Helmet  418
266.    Shoes of Gilt Copper  419
267-8.  Bridle Bits  421
269.    Horse Pendant  422
270.    Horse Pendants  423
271.    Cheek-piece of Bridle-bit  423
272.    Hoes and Spades  424
273.    Smith's Tongs  425
274.    Bowls of Gilt Bronze and-Susit, or Jingle. Bells  433
275.    Bracelets and Bells,(Suzu)  434
276.    Gilded Rings  435
277-8.  Ear-rings  436
279.    Magatama  437
280.    Kudatama and Other Beads  438
281.    Conventionalised Magatama, Stone Bracelets
          and other Relics  439
282.    Yamato Stone Relics  440
283.    "         "     441
284.    Stone Vase  442
285.    Stone Vessel  442
286.    Stone Jars  443
287.    Stone Cups and Vessel  444
288.    Mortar and Pestle  444
289.    Head Rest  445
290.    Stone Pillow, (Probably Substitute)  445
291-2.  Stone Substitutes for Knives, Spead-head etc.  446
293.    Stone Substitutes for Shields  447
294-5.  Stone Substitutes for Armour  447
296.    Stone Substitutes for Wooden Clogs (Geta}  448
297.    Post Bells (Ekirei)  449
298.    Small Bells (Sitsu)  450
299.        "        "     452
300.    Magatama  457
301-2.  Yamato Stone Relics   Facing 458
303.    Magatama  460
304.    Objects of Shell  462
305-6.  Modern Geta, or Wooden Clogs  467
307.    Imitation Geta  467
308.    Substitute in Stone for Sword Pommel  468
309-14. Yamato Bowls  475-7
315-18. Tazza or Pedestellated Bowls  478-81
319-22. Cups  481-3
323-6.  Jars  484-7
327.    Supernumerary (Komochi) Jars  488
328.    Pedestal  489
329-30. Jars or Vases  490-1
331.    Bottles  491
332-6.  Vases with High Relief Decoration  492-5
337-8.  Water Jars  496-7
339-43  Bottles  498-501
344.    Bottle (Komochi)  502
345.    Flasks  503
346-7.  Flasks or Costrels  504-5
348-50. Drinking or Libation Vessels  506-7
351.    Drinking or Libation Vessel (Komochi)  507
352-3   Haniwa  508-9
354-84. Haniwa Figures  510-534
385-6.  Haniwa Tomo  535
387.    Rare Forms of Yamato Pottery  538
388.    Drinking Vessel  539
389-90. Tomo  552
391-2.  Figures from an Ancient Bow  Facing 560-1
393     "             "     562
394.    Horseback Figure from an Ancient Silver Vessel  563
**395.  Face Painting among the Yamato.  Facing 568 (Color Woodcut)
396.    Hand Plough of the Yamato  573
397.    Hand Plough of Scottish Highlands (Cashrom)  574
398.    Patterns in Woven Silk, 8th Century A.D.  Facing 576
399.    Koto  582
400-1.  Genkan  582
402.    Kugo  582
403.    Flutes  582
404.    Map showing Strongholds erected against the
          Yezo or Ainu  Facing 602
405.    Stone Constructions in Ishikari Province, Yezo  611
406.    Stone Circle at Oshoro, Sliribeshi Province, Yezo  612
407.    Stones (perhaps Pointers) Connected with the Same  636
408.    Buddhist Image Containing Haniwa Figure  637
409.    Plan of the Stone Circle at Oshoro  Facing 636
410.    Some Forms of Inao etc.  649
          (Actual page  is 653)
411.    Group of Ainu Women and Children  650
          (Actual page is 654)
412.    Group of Ainu   651 (Actual page is 655)
413.    An Aged Ainu  652 (Actual page is 656)
414.    An Ainu  653 (Actual page 657)
415.    Skulls from Shell-mounds (Norma.Verticalis)  654
          (Actual page is 658)
416-7.  Skull from Author's Excavations at Mitsusawa  655
          (Actual page is 659)
418.    Ainu-Skull  656 (Actual page is 660)
419.    Malar Boraes of Primitive people, Showing resemblance
          to those of Ainu  656 (Actual page is 653)
420.    Sections of Tibiae  671 - (Actually plate 421
          at page 675)
421.    Outlines of Primitive and Ainu Skulls (Superimposed)
          (Actually plate 420)  Facing  668


Not Listed in table of illustrations)

Sketch Map to Show the Relations of China and Korea to Japan,
	Circa 500 B.C.  Facing page 20, Lithographic Plate

Rough Plan of Site and Excavations at Mitsuasawa
        Facing page 58,  Lithographic Plate


Appendicies (with 1llustrations):

** Map Showing the Distribution of Primitive and Yamato
        Sites in Japan, 4 folds out, 1 fold up,
        color wood cut (Appendix A)

Shells from Japanese Primitive Sites
        Appendix B.  Two pages of text with 63 items listed
        Appendix C.  Black and white lithographed plate
        (4 folds out, 1 fold up) with 6 types of items
        illustrated

* = Foldout Plate (total of 3)
** = Color Added Plate (total of 4)

Colophon

Printed: Meiji 41 (1908).1.30
Published: Meiji 41 (1908).2.3