Makimuku Ishizuka Kofun
ホケノ山古墳 | |
 The three tumuli are surrounded by the Makimuku Katsuyama tumulus (top), the Yatsuka tumulus (bottom left) and the Ishizuka tumulus (bottom right), and the Makimuku Elementary School is located between them | |
  Makimuku Ishizuka Kofun  Makimuku Ishizuka Kofun (Japan) | |
| Location | Sakurai, Nara, Japan |
|---|---|
| Region | Kansai region |
| Coordinates | 34°32′46.5″N 135°50′9.9″E / 34.546250°N 135.836083°E |
| Type | Kofun |
| History | |
| Founded | c.2nd century |
| Periods | early Kofun period |
| Site notes | |
| Public access | Yes (no facilities) |
 | |
Makimuku Ishizuka Kofun (纒向石塚古墳) is an early Kofun period burial mound and one of the tumuli in the Makimuku Kofun Cluster and is located in the Ota neighborhood of the city of Sakurai Nara Prefecture, Japan.[1] It is a kofun of Makimuku ruins.[2]: 249 Collectively with the other tumuli in the Makimuku Kofun Cluster, it was designated a National Historic Site of Japan in 2006.[3] It is dated to around 180CE, with the nearby Makimuku Katsuyama Kofun (纒向勝山古墳) being dated to around 200AD.[4]
Overview
[edit]The Makimuku Ishizuka Kofun is a hotategai-gata kofun (帆立貝形こふん)-style scallop-shaped tumulus 96 meters long, with a 64 meter diameter posterior circular mound, and a 34 meter wide rectangular anterior portion. The narrow part connecting the two portions is 15-16 meters wide. The moat is about 20 meters wide. The posterior mound is an irregular circle, 59 meters east-to-west and 45 meters north-to-south, and the front is curves open like a shamisen plectrum. No fukiishi roofing stones or clay haniwa were used. The top of the mound was leveled at the end of the Pacific War, and the remains of the foundations of an anti-aircraft gun emplacement remain in situ.[1]'. At that time, no burial chamber was found, and no artifacts were excavated. However, it was the first kofun excavated from Makimuku ruins,[5]: 115 and was where some of the earliest Haji pottery was found.[5]: 115–116 . In subsequent post-war excavations, late Yayoi pottery to early Kofun period pottery has been excavated from the surrounding moat. Other excavated items include arc-patterned disks (a ritual artifact often excavated in the San'yō region), vermilion-painted wooden products in the shape of a chicken, wooden hoes and shovels, mallets, water tanks, wooden building materials, and Haji ware pottery. Experts differ on whether this tumulus dates from the early third century to the middle 4th century. A hinoki cypress board recovered from the bottom of the moat was dated by dendrochronology to 177 AD; however, it was only a portion of a piece of wood which may have been felled up to two centuries after that date.
There are no historical records or traditions about the person for whom this tumulus was constructed. However, considering that the estimated construction date mentioned above is just before the outbreak of the Civil War of Wa, around 178-184 AD, as recorded in Chinese historical records, an unsupported theory exists that it is related to a male king who is said to have reigned for over 70 years before the war mentioned in the Book of the Later Han.
Religious significance
[edit]
Archaeological evidence indicates rituals were performed in the tomb. Wooden pillars 20 cm in diameter were erected within its moats.[10][11] Wooden roosters painted in vermilion lacquer were discovered in the moat surrounding the mound's circular section.[11] The bird carving is 39 centimeters long.[2]: 250 Historians and archaeologists believe these roosters might have been part of ceremonies aimed at praying for the resurrection of the deceased. Similar wooden and clay figures resembling roosters have been found in other early Kofun period tombs.[11] Roosters are the animal messengers of Amaterasu.[12]
The birds may symbolize the soul's journey. These items were found in peat at the Ikegami-sone site in Izumi City, Osaka. The Yamato-takeru story mentions a white bird flying between tombs. This story relates to the found items. It shows ancient beliefs about life and the soul.[2]: 250
The tomb faces Mount Miwa, a sacred mountain.[11] The Kojiki, says the god Ōmononushi wanted people to worship him on this mountain.[11] There is a complex narrative about Emperor Sujin and the establishment of worship in the region.[13][14]: 22 with some interpreting the god as being Yamato-no-Okunitama one of the two gods previously worshipped in the Imperial palace alongside Amaterasu.[13][14]: 22 The tomb's direction shows that the Makimuku area's rulers and people respected Mount Miwa deeply. Buildings at the Makimuku site also face Mount Miwa on purpose. This shows their religious link to the mountain.[11]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "Makimuku Ishizuka Kofun [纏向石塚古墳] Long Barrow : The Megalithic Portal and Megalith Map". 2023-10-16. Archived from the original on 2023-10-16. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
- ^ a b c Kidder, J. Edward (2017-12-18). Himiko and Japan's Elusive Chiefdom of Yamatai. University of Hawaii Press. doi:10.1515/9780824862848. ISBN 978-0-8248-6284-8.
- ^ "纒向古墳群" (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
- ^ https://seaa-web.org/sites/default/files/publications/bseaa-1/BSEAA1-Rew-Styles.pdf
- ^ a b "State Formation in Japan: Emergence of a 4th-Century Ruling Elite". Routledge & CRC Press. Retrieved 2023-11-21.
- ^ D., John (2011-07-28). "Power animals". Green Shinto. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
- ^ "Ise Shrine (Ise Jingu) - Ise, Japan". 2013-02-15. Archived from the original on 2013-02-15. Retrieved 2023-11-11.
- ^ Olderr, Steven (2017-02-10). Symbolism: A Comprehensive Dictionary, 2d ed. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-9067-7.
- ^ Goto, Seiko; Naka, Takahiro (2015-10-16). Japanese Gardens: Symbolism and Design. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-317-41164-2.
- ^ https://dl.ndl.go.jp/view/prepareDownload?itemId=info%3Andljp%2Fpid%2F9591536&contentNo=1
- ^ a b c d e f Ishino, Hironobu; 石野博信 (1992). "Rites and Rituals of the Kofun Period". Japanese Journal of Religious Studies. 19 (2/3): 191–216. doi:10.18874/jjrs.19.2-3.1992.191-216. ISSN 0304-1042. JSTOR 30234190.
- ^ D, John (2011-07-28). "Power animals". Green Shinto. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
- ^ a b Ellwood, Robert S. (1990). "The Sujin Religious Revolution". Japanese Journal of Religious Studies. 17 (2/3): 199–217. doi:10.18874/jjrs.17.2-3.1990.199-217. ISSN 0304-1042. JSTOR 30234018.
- ^ a b Hardacre, Helen (2017). Shinto: A History. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-062171-1.
External links
[edit]- Nara Prefectural Kashihara Archaeological Institute Museum home page(in Japanese)
- Makimuku Digital Museum(in Japanese)
- Sakurai City Tourist Information(in Japanese)