Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability

CAS Anthropology Collections Database


Catalog Number

CAS 2003-0007-0001   CAS 2003-0007-0001; Marionette
Category Folk Toys
Object Name Marionette
Culture Japanese
Global Region East Asia
Country Japan
State/Prov./Dist. Hokkaido
County
Other Geographic Data unknown
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture ca. 1970-1975
Collection Name N/A
Materials Papier mâché [paper mache]; Commercial cloth; String; Wood; Raffia grass; Metal; Lead
Description Small marionette figure depicting an Ainu man from far northern Japan; Figure's torso is a soft cloth-wrapped bundle, to which are sewn cloth arms and legs (both of dark brown fabric); Head, hands, and feet are all of papier mâché and painted a dark olive green color; Man's hair and long beard are painted black, as are the soles of his boots; He is dressed in a long-sleeved dark brown shirt and matching pants, a white cloth short-sleeved, waist-length outer shirt with blue designs along cuffs and waist, and a vest that is olive green on back and red on front; A narrow holster worn across his right shoulder holds a wooden sword or baton; He also wears a headband of braided raffia grass; Movement of the hands, feet, and head are separately controlled by black strings that are tied to short metal loops in each appendage and extend up through a wooden block where they are secured with small lead balls.
Dimensions (cm) Height = 24.5, Width = 12.0, Length = 33.5