Prehistoric Bronze Bells from Japan. 39 



ally came, no small benefit will be conferred upon the land, 

 and it will be a matter of rejoicing not to myself alone. 



Written in Hiogo by 



Kanda Takahira.* 



May 10th, 1875. 



On reading this letter before the Asiatic Society, Sir Harry 

 Parkes remarked that, in accordance with the suggestions of 

 Mr. Kanda, that similar bells may have been found in China, 

 Manchuria, or Corea, he had sent the bell to Mr. Meadows, 

 British Consul at Shanghai. From there it was sent to Dr. 

 Bushell, of Pekin, who had made the subject of bells a special 

 study. Neither of these gentlemen could give any informa- 

 tion. The disturbed state of Manchuria at the time rendered 

 further investigation in that direction impracticable. 



The following facts, brought out by Mr. Kanda's letter, are 

 of great interest : — 



1. These bells have been exhumed in large numbers in dif- 

 ferent parts of Japan, so that they are quite common in the 

 shops of Tokio and other cities. 



2. Among the large number of bells of this peculiar form, 

 there is no instance in which one has been handed down from 

 ancient times above the ground. 



3. The bells are -of a uniform shape, differing only in the 

 ornamentation of the surface. 



4. The fact that these bells are associated by Japanese an- 

 tiquarians with stone implements, etc., is also significant. 

 Whether any such prehistoric relics have been found buried 

 with the bells, I am not able to say. 



Another fact is interesting in this connection. According 

 to Japanese historians, copper ore was first discovered in Ja- 

 pan in the year 684 A.D., and copper coins were not made till 

 706 A.D. ; while according to Mr. Yokoyama the first of these 

 bells was unearthed in the year 669 A.D. 



As to these peculiar bells being common, I can myself 

 testify; for in a few days' search in Tokio I found eight or ten 

 specimens in different shops, and for sale at prices which 

 made imitation seem improbable. On these eight or ten bells 



* The Governor of Hiogo Ken. 



