magatamas

Magatama are curved, comma-shaped beads that originated in ancient Japan and neighboring regions. The name derives from Japanese magaru, meaning “to bend,” and tama, meaning “jewel” or “bead.” The form is a gently curved, teardrop-like silhouette with a drilled hole for stringing, and magatama vary in size from small personal ornaments to larger ceremonial beads.

Materials and manufacture have varied over time. Traditional magatama were crafted from jade, nephrite, or agate, with later examples made of serpentine or sometimes glass. Production involved selecting a suitable raw stone, shaping and polishing the curved form, and drilling a hole. Techniques differed by period and region, contributing to a wide range of finishes and sizes.

Historically, magatama appear in the Jōmon period (c. 14,000–300 BCE) as prestige items worn as pendants or beads in necklaces. They are commonly found in burial contexts and ritually significant settings, and continued to be used through the Yayoi and Kofun periods as symbols of status and spiritual power. The beads also appear as ceremonial objects in broader East Asian contexts, influencing later art and jewelry.

Cultural significance in Japan is strong. Magatama became one of the Imperial Regalia of Japan, the Yasakani no Magatama, which, along with the sword Kusanagi and the mirror Yata no Kagami, symbolize the imperial throne and the divine lineage of the emperor. The magatama is associated with spiritual power, protection, and the soul or life force within Shinto belief.

Today magatama are valued as archaeological artifacts and cultural symbols. They appear in museums, replicas, and contemporary art and jewelry, preserving a link to Japan’s prehistoric and historic past.