Cylinder
Unknown Artist
7th century or earlier
Medium
Green jasper
Dimensions
L. 3/4 in. (1.9 cm) - 1 3/8 in. (3.5 cm) for 12.37.51-60
Classification
Jewelry
Culture & Period
Japan · Kofun period (ca. 300–710)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1912
Accession Number
12.37.51
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Asian Art collection, this set of delicate green jasper cylinders (ion 12.37.51-60) hails from Japan's Kofun period (. 300–710 CE), a time of monumental tomb-building and emerging centralized power. Measuring just 3/4 to1 3/8 inches in length, these petite jewels were crafted as beads for elite adornment—likely strung into necklaces, hair, or ceremonial sashes. Acquired through the Rogers Fund in 2, they offer a glimpse into ancient Japan's sophisticated lapidary arts. Green jasper, a prized semi-precious stone, was meticulously carved into these sm...