36 Prehistoric Bronze Bells from Japan. 



temples or pagodas, and this is the opinion that I myself hold; 

 but still, the fact that upon the dragon-shaped handle there 

 have not been left any marks of friction of some other metal 

 fastening, affords ground for doubt. These copper bells have 

 only been dug out of the earth, and there is no instance 

 known of one having been handed down from olden days 

 above the ground. The localities in which they have been 

 found have mostly been to the west of Kawachi, Totomi, in 

 the five Home Provinces, the Central Provinces, and in Shi- 

 koku. Nothing has been heard of their being discovered in 

 the circuit to the east of the Hakone Barrier, in the Hok'kai- 

 do, or in Kiushiu. Their size, also, differs considerably. The 

 very largest go so far as four or five feet, while the smallest 

 are but one or two inches. Their apparent shape is for the 

 most part similar, except that in some cases there may be 

 slight differences in the pattern of the outer surface. These 

 slightly different specimens are of greatly enhanced value in 

 the eyes of Japanese antiquarians, the reason being that they 

 are thus enabled to offer them as a basis for speculation re- 

 garding traces of very ancient times. The first instance of 

 the discovery of a copper he'll is of exceedingly old date. A 

 short time ago I visited a friend of mine, Mr. Yokoyama 

 Yoshikiyo, a widely read and well informed antiquarian, and 

 questioned him on the subject, when I obtained from him a 

 written reply that is ol great importance. This I give below : 



" In Vol. 5 of the ' Fuso-riyak'ki ' it is stated that on the 

 17th day of the 1st month of the 7th year of the Emperor 

 Tenji's reign — corresponding .to the year 669 A.D. of the 

 foreign calendar — when the temple of S6-fuku-ji was being 

 erected in the Department of Shiga and province of Omi, and 

 the earth was preparatorily leveled, a strange and valuable 

 bell was dug up from the ground. Its height was 5 ft. 5 in. 

 There was also dug up a wonderful kind of white stone, 5 

 inches in length, which shone brightly at night. 



" Again, in Vol. 6 of the ' Nihonki,' we find it said, 

 that in the 7th month, in the autumn of the 6th year of the 

 period Wato, corresponding to the year 714 A.D. of the for- 

 eign calendar, during the reign of the Emperor Gemmei, a 

 person named Muragimi Adzumando — a Taishoi no-jo * — be- 

 longing to the village of Namisaka, in the Department of Uta 

 and province of Yamato, found, in the uncultivated district 

 of Nagaoka, a copper bell, which he accordingly offered up 

 (to the Emperor). It was three feet in height, and measured 

 one foot across the diameter of the mouth. Its style of manu- 



* A title of rank. 



