Jomon Period: Unveiling Ancient Japan's Pottery & Burials Did you know that the earliest historical period in Japan was named after their early type of pottery ? The Jomon period was the first historical period of Japan and dates between circa 14,500 and 300 BCE although those dates are still disputed. The name for the period Jomon comes from the name of the pottery that was crafted during this period which also just happens to be the oldest vessels in the world which were decorated with a simpl