The tablets discussed in this article are widely believed to have been associated with ritual activity of the Kamegaoka culture, based in the Northern Tohoku district during the Final Jomon period.
To date it has been asserted that a) the design of the tablets changed progressively throughout the period, b) they can be classified into 6 types and c) the form nor the design of the first type in no way resembles that of clay figurines and there is no relation between the two.
I wish to contest these findings in my study. Firstly I suggest that tables did not continuously change in design. Although the first type had no apparent similarities with clay figurines, this does not imply that the subsequent types did not bear such resemblance. We cannot assume that the significance of the tablets remained constant throughout the period, from the first of the six types to the last. I believe that interpretations made regarding the changes observed in tablets have been insufficient in their depth. Secondly, the six types already identified can be further classified into three types. Lastly, the second and third types are related to clay figurines in that both of them feature representation of the human body.

View full abstract

[in Japanese]

View full abstract

According to the motor ability model (Nagasaki et al., 1995) constructed three factors (hand power, balance, and walking), a 7-item physical performance test (grip strength, tapping, one-leg standing with eyes open and with eyes closed, beam walking, preferred speed walking and maximum speed walking) was administered to 217 adults with mental retardation (age 18-68 years).
(1) The relationships between chronological age and all of the physical performance score were statistically not significant. (2) The relationships between IQ and all of the physical performance score were statistically significant. (3) Grip strength score in male subjects was significantly higher than that in female subjects. (4) The relationships between all scores were statistically significant. The relationships between 1) grip strength and tapping, 2) one-leg standing and beam walking, 3) preferred speed walking and maximum speed walking were especially clear.

View full abstract