Some objects whisper secrets across centuries. This Oribe-glazed ceramic plaque depicting the Crucifixion emerged from Japan's underground Christian community during the brutal persecution spanning Edo through early Meiji periods, when displaying such imagery could result in torture or execution. Whether trampling-tablet (fumi-e) used to identify crypto-Christians or private devotional icon concealed in homes, it embodies extraordinary courage and clandestine faith. The mere survival of such objects borders on miraculous given systematic government campaigns to eradicate Christianity and destroy all associated materials. Christianity reached Japan in 1549 with Francis Xavier's Jesuit mission, initially flourishing under receptive daimyo patronage. Tens of thousands converted before Tokugawa authorities banned the religion in 1614, fearing foreign influence and internal sedition. There followed two centuries of appalling persecution: crucifixions, boiling in thermal springs, systematic torture, and the fumi-e ritual where suspected Christians were forced to trample sacred images to prove apostasy. Those who refused died; those who complied often privately maintained faith through ingenious subterfuge. Hidden Christians (kakure kirishitan) disguised devotional objects as Buddhist items, whispered prayers in cipher, and passed oral traditions through generations without priests or texts. This plaque's Oribe glaze—that distinctive combination of copper-green flashing over iron-rich clay—served dual purposes. The technique flourished at Mino kilns during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, associated with tea master Furuta Oribe's aesthetic preferences. By disguising Christian iconography within familiar Japanese ceramic traditions, makers could claim decorative or secular function if discovered. The Crucifixion relief, while explicit to believers, might pass cursory inspection as abstract decoration or foreign curiosity. Yet examine closely: Christ's arms extend on the cross, the crown of thorns circles His head, the wound in His side remains visible despite centuries of finger-contact wear. The plaque's dimensions (approximately 14 x 10 centimetres based on similar known examples) suit pocket concealment or small household shrine hiding. If this served as fumi-e, government officials would have presented it at annual inspection ceremonies (nenbutsu aratame) where entire villages were compelled to demonstrate non-Christian status by stepping on sacred images. Some extant fumi-e show deep wear from thousands of coerced tramplings. This example displays surface wear patterns suggestive of frequent handling rather than trampling—supporting identification as private devotional piece rather than government testing tablet, though certainty remains elusive. The accompanying period kiri-wood box (tomobako) adds provenance weight. Such boxes typically stored important objects, their plain exteriors deflecting attention from precious contents. That this plaque survived intact through centuries of persecution, the Meiji restoration, twentieth-century wars, and subsequent dispersal of old collections testifies to continuous careful custodianship. How many hands protected it? Which families risked annihilation to preserve this fragment of forbidden faith? Condition honestly acknowledges age and probable hidden history: surface wear reveals areas where the Oribe glaze has rubbed away, exposing buff clay beneath. Small edge chips suggest impacts or rough handling during concealment. No structural cracks compromise integrity. Some darkening to the recessed relief areas may indicate dirt accumulation or deliberate patination to obscure imagery. Conservative restoration could address these aesthetic issues, though many collectors prefer retaining evidence of the object's extraordinary journey. For museums and private collectors of Christian art in Asia, persecution-era materials, or cultural resistance objects, this plaque represents profound historical testimony. Major institutions including the Twenty-Six Martyrs Museum (Nagasaki) and the Tokyo National Museum hold comparable pieces, though most remain in situ at Japanese Christian heritage sites. Examples appearing on the international market number perhaps dozens annually worldwide—scarcity partly reflecting rarity, partly ongoing Japanese cultural sensitivity about this traumatic history. Contemporary scholars including Christal Whelan (author of "The Beginning of Heaven and Earth") and Paramore Kiri (author of "Ideology and Christianity in Japan") have illuminated kakure kirishitan material culture, revealing sophisticated visual strategies and theological syncretism. This plaque connects to those scholarly conversations whilst offering tangible link to lived experience under persecution. For collectors who understand that the most powerful objects often carry painful histories, who recognise that beauty and suffering intertwine in human making, this presents opportunity to steward a survivor. Shipping & Handling We ship worldwide via DHL or EMS with full insurance and tracking. Professional packing ensures safe arrival; combined shipping available for multiple wins. Local customs duties are the buyer's responsibility. Seller Guarantee We specialise in Edo-to-Meiji period cultural artifacts and guarantee this piece's authenticity as period Japanese Christian material. Questions welcome—we reply within 24 hours. 1066