The Yayoi period was an era of Japanese prehistory marked by the arrival of wet-rice agriculture and metalworking from the Asian mainland. It is named after the Yayoi district of Tokyo, where distinctive pottery was found in the late nineteenth century. During these centuries people settled in villages, cultivated rice paddies and used bronze and iron tools, and society became more hierarchical, with chiefs, warfare and fortified settlements appearing. Chinese records of the period mention a queen named Himiko ruling the land of Yamatai. The era is followed by the Kofun period, known for its large tombs, and the dates given for its start and end vary depending on the scholar.
Before and after
- from 4th century BCE to 4th centuryFounding of Library of Alexandria
- 4th century BCEOrigins of Paris
- 300 BCEFounding of Chankillo
- from 300 BCE to 1279Chola dynasty
- from 300 BCE to 250 CEYayoi period
- from 299 BCE to 580 CEKingdom of Iberia
- 287 BCEBirth of Archimedes
- c. 285 BCEDeath of Euclid
- 284 BCEColossus of Rhodes
More in Civilizations & archaeology
- c. 1,200 BCEIron Age
- c. 700s BCEConstruction of Great Wall of China
- from 206 BCE to 220 CEHan dynasty
- 200 BCEOrigins of Nazca Lines
- 19 BCEConstruction of Western Wall
- from 476 CE to 1492Middle Ages
The era
This moment belongs to the Ancient civilizations (3,200 BCE to 500 CE), writing, cities and empires. You can also browse everything in the 3rd century BCE.