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Japanese antique penis-shaped wooden ornament/1868-1920/Folk belief

About the Item

This is an ornament based on the ancient Japanese folk belief of the prosperity of descendants. In the past, when medical care was not as advanced as it is today, it was difficult to conceive a baby, and the survival rate of babies was low. Since ancient times, figurines in the shape of male and female genitalia have been made to pray for the prosperity of descendants. There are also shrines that have things like this that grant the prosperity of descendants. In addition to shrines, many such objects were also worshipped in private houses in the Tohoku region. When a private house was built, these penis-shaped ornaments were tied to the ceiling with ropes, hoping for the prosperity of the family's offspring. This item would also have been in such an environment. There are traces of what appears to be a rope tying it down. It is carved from the core of a cedar or hinoki tree. I think it is one of the materials that can help you learn about aspects of Japanese culture that are not well known. It's a relatively small size, so why not add one to your collection? Weight: 2.55kg [We mainly sell old Japanese items. We've seen tens of thousands of items so far. Taking advantage of that experience, we are posting attractive items here. We are able to do this because we have a long experience. We introduce simple objects, tools used by common people, and objects used in temples that are different from the image of Japan that we have known up until now. We are rediscovering Japanese beauty that is unknown to the world, evaluating it, and disseminating it.]
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 22.72 in (57.7 cm)Width: 4.93 in (12.5 cm)Depth: 4.73 in (12 cm)
  • Style:
    Meiji (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1868-1920
  • Condition:
  • Seller Location:
    Sammu-shi, JP
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU5487239965742

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