EA.KLY JAPAN BISHOP 559 



study of the available data, both historical and archeological, points 

 to Korea again, and probably to the northern rather than the south- 

 ern portion of the peninsula, as the source whence was introduced 

 into Japan this custom of burying the illustrious dead in mega- 

 lithic chambers covered by vast mounds of earth. Dolmens, in 

 general somewhat smaller and simpler in type than those of Japan, 

 occur in Korea in large numbers, particularly in the north. Far- 

 ther down in the peninsula their place tends to be taken by still 

 simpler stone cists; but these contain horse trappings, stone models 

 of metal swords and arrowpoints, and wheel-made pottery, all 

 closely resembling and in most cases absolutely identical with corre- 

 sj)onding remains in dolmen interments in Japan. 



It is a matter of historical record, reinforced by archeological 

 evidence, that this type of burial came to an end in Japan about 

 the seventh or eighth century. Regarding the date of its beginning, 

 however, opinions have been widely at variance, although generally 

 speaking it has been placed far too early. 



While it is true that bronze and even stone objects have been 

 found in connection with Japanese dolmen interments, that these 

 are mere funerary survivals is shown by the fact that the vast 

 majority of implements are of iron from first to last. The occur- 

 rence of horse trappings in these interments is of great significance. 

 The Chinese records are most explicit to the effect that the people 

 of Japan and of southern Korea at the beginning of the Christian 

 era and for at least a century or two after had neither horses nor 

 cattle. Hence, inasmuch as stirrups, bits, and other objects of iron 

 are recorded as occurring throughout the Dolmen Period, it follows 

 that the latter itself can only date back to the epoch of the intro- 

 duction of iron and the horse, somewhere apparently about the end 

 of the second century. 



THE INTRODUCTION OF AGRICULTURE PROPER 



To what extent the primitive Japanese in days prior to the advent 

 of metal depended upon planting for their subsistence we do not 

 know; but the Chinese accounts afford evidence of what is other- 

 wise intrinsically probable, that they possessed a hoe culture, carried 

 on in all likelihood largely if not exclusively by the womenfolk. 

 Under such a system, for several reasons, no very great growth of 

 population could ever take place. It was only the introduction of 

 true agriculture, which in southeastern Asia means the growing 

 of irrigated rice, that made jDOssible the vast increase in numbers 

 and consequent economic and military strength essential to the 

 development of a powerful national entity. This great advance 

 in civilization was another element of that distinctive culture com- 



