Museum unveils its first reconstructed bust of a prehistoric Yayoi-period woman

The statue offers a peek into the past based on actual skeletal remains and DNA analysis from southern Japan–and kind of looks like someone I know.

The Aoya Kamijichi archaeological site in the Aoya district of Tottori City is known for turning up all kinds of artifacts dating back to the Yayoi period (roughly 300 BCE-300 CE). This era, which follows the earlier Jomon period and precedes the Kofun period, predates written records in the country now known as Japan. It was characterized by an influx of farmers from the Asian continent who spread agricultural techniques and is especially known for a distinctive style of pottery and bronze bells made by the Yayoi people.

In an effort to learn more about the Yayoi people and their lifestyles, Japanese researchers have been turning to the latest techniques to recreate literal faces of the past. This human skull–discovered at Aoya Kamijichi in 2000–is estimated to be approximately 1,800 years old, dating back to the Late Yayoi period, and is the latest person to receive a scientifically reconstructed face.

▼ What do you think this Yayoi-period person looked like?

Characteristics of the skull as well as nuclear DNA analysis revealed that this individual was a woman in her prime of life, perhaps around 30 years of age, who most likely had thick and straight hair, light skin that was resistant to developing freckles and moles, double-edged eyelids, thick eyebrows, and light-to-dark irises.

The on-site Aoya Kamijichi Historic Site Park museum partnered with the National Museum of Nature and Science in Tokyo to produce the anatomically accurate rendering between April 2024 and March 2025. The resulting face–the museum’s first female creation–was officially revealed in a public ceremony on March 20, which was presided over by the governor of Tottori Prefecture.

▼ Tottori governor Shinji Hirai

Here’s a close-up of the Yayoi woman!

▼ Strangely, she bears an uncanny resemblance to a woman who works at my local 7-Eleven.

The Yayoi woman is actually the third reconstructed bust that the museum has acquired since October 2021 when its first two joined the exhibits. The first bust, nicknamed “Aoya Kamijiro,” had a bit of a 21st-century-moment when his face went viral over social media from people continuing to comment on how he looks just like someone they know. The museum capitalized on this momentum by holding an actual look-alike photo contest, for which they received 215 entries.

▼ Aoya Kamijiro

The second bust is nicknamed “Aoya Raito” and is based off of a skull discovered of a teenage boy.

▼ Aoya Raito

Given the previous patterns of the Historic Site Park to engage with the community, it probably won’t be long before staff put out a call to crowdsource potential names for the Yayoi woman. There’s a good chance that her name will include “Aoya” for the first half, but for the second, I might have to go sneak a peek at that worker’s nametag in 7-Eleven for inspiration before casting my vote. While I’m at it, I might also pick up one of the new sakura-themed sweets for a little taste of spring and a fresh start for her.

Source, images: PR Times
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