The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-09-11
OLD YAMATO POTTERY.
4 saNant FINDS an Annuity between
Greek ana japanese Productions.

From the Japan Adrerfissr.
AZ - recent meeting OF the AsiAtic Society
OF Japan Or. Gordon Munro read paper
on Some Origins and SuTvivals.- being
some Of the authors own interpretations
OF japanese enigms such as the kitsune no
kuwa and mitsudomoe. In the course OF
his paper DR.. Munro touched on the seem
ing affinity between ancient Greek and
Namato ware. his observations being TO
the following effect
The Trojan pottery in the Schlieman
collection in Berlin. and even more that
% MycenR in the British Museum and else
vhere. furnishes types which are to he
found in the Sepulchral ware OF the Namato
but what seems to he a good instance OF
affinify h. furnished by the represen alton
% some Of the HsniWa figures Of type
% tasuki. or shoulder band. like that used
IN ancient Greece We all know that the
chiffon Of the Greek was sometimes held
in place by n band or cord which crossed IN
front of the breast and again behind. We
know that this 10 not the way IN which
the tasukH usually ~ employed IA Japan
Here the band II first tied ai it, "Ntremt-
tie. and then lOoped round the shoulders,
crossing only at the back IL u Eener-
ally believed to have received it, name
arm help from being usAd to support the
arms while holding offerings on sacred oC-
casions hut most will asre" ihat this eN-
PLANTATION leaves much to be desirad
We know from the evidence Of he Haniwa
that the present form OF tAeuki was IN Use
before the cessation Of dolmen building.
that 10 to say before loose sleeves wore
universally in fashion. and We can hardly
sutspose that this device cam" into existence
on account 81 traditional belief that a
simpler eNpsdent Vas utilized for sup
porting tray held IN the and- az Cour-e
the present mode Of Wearing the tasuki
could he utilized for supporting the hands
by leaving the loop otherwise tnconven-
iently long But there ~ no sign ot such a
thing on the Haniva that have -"en There
m. ta<uki - usually closely fitted 10 ne
shoulders iust a. II appears on any Japa-
ne~-, hou-emaid a. the present time On
tho other hand trays and other weights
NAV BE- %~~n supported nv a nple hand
round the neck. Witch ~ufiioss for she puT-
posr
la the case NJ The TasuH a. IN all such
Instances. the tact pr~cede- - explanation
anil Il - -Afo to SUPPOSE that this device
was in vogue long before any one dreamed
Of explaining Il. As n matter Of fact IN"
a. planatton accounts for tho word Tasukt-
rather than for its real purpose. and Il must
he admitted that II gives more or les
plausible derivation 81 the name hut We
must he chary Of accepting What may after
all he nothing hut folks ctymolOgis.
even II Ne haze nothing hetter to offer
possible derivation one IL conscious that
one may be merely jumping ont Of the fry
ing pan into the FIRE N far my ssarrh has
failed to trace the actual name ,'iven by
the Greeks to the crossed hand can only
suggest for the search Of the trained ETY.
mologISt thst some root might ha found
which connects such words I've and
-tassal- With their older association ~
binding and that the Greek seems to supply
words ~ somewhat similar import THIS
- possibly conn scted With ieino -'eiaS-
thrsn, 70 stretch. draw tight
But leaving etymology to those who are
uualih6d - elucidatH such problems With
lass danger 81 con vertinR s'vmology INTO
mythology | would direct your attention
10 thsSe figures one of which seems to show
thai the Grsok chest hand. crossed ~ Il
mus, ALWAYS havo done bohind was know
to the early Japanese. 10 order 10 give an
ant luuny Witch might favor the spread Of
this device I have "hossn my Crock illus
'rations not from the we'll known stasIes
whtoh exhibit this device. but from sketches
which I made Of highly conven' 10 nalIzsd
Idols from the Schlisman ColIe,tIou Of
Trojan reiics N the Museum fur Poker
kunde ~ Berlin
Here il smother so far advanced m CON
naturalization thai 1t = only recognizable
a. anth-opomorphic ny the creased band
md nv tho pr"s@ucs ~ The umb,li"up In
this one the crossing points are connected
by buckle A. we may So on he hack of
thus Hsnlws ngure Nor should -" forget
that ne band crossed IN front - s'tll used
ia -upport infants when carried On tho back