Kofun (古墳?) are megalithic tombs or tumuli in Japan, constructed between early 3rd century and early 7th century. They gave their name to the Kofun era (middle 3rd century - late 6th century). Most of the Kofun have the Keyhole-shaped mount (zenpo-koenfun (前方後円墳?)), which was unique to ancient Japan.
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Topography
The kofun tumuli have taken various shapes through history. The most common type of kofun is known as a zempō-kōen-fun (前方後円墳?), which has a shape of a keyhole, having one square end and one circular end, when looked down upon from above. There are also circular type (empun (円墳?)), "two conjoined rectangles" type (zempō-kōhō-fun (前方後方墳?)), and square type (hōfun (方墳?)) kofun. Orientation of kofun is not specified. For example, in the Saki Kofun group, all of circular parts are looking toward the north, but there is no such formation in the Yanagimoto kofun group. Haniwa, terra cotta figures were arrayed above and in the surroundings to delimit and protect the sacred area. Kofun range in size from several meters to over 400m in length. The largest kofun is Daisen kofun in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture, which has been attributed to be the tomb of the Emperor Nintoku. The funeral chamber was located beneath the round part and consisted of a group of megaliths. In 1972 unlooted Takamatsuzuka Tomb was found in Asuka and some details were revealed. Inside the tightly assembled rocks, white lime cement plasters were pasted and drawn colored pictures depicting the court or constellations. Stone coffin was placed in the chamber and accessories, swords and bronze mirrors were laid inside and outside of the coffin.
Development
The oldest Japanese kofun is said to be Hokenoyama Kofun located in Sakurai, Nara, which dates to later 3rd century. In the Makimuku district of Sakurai, earlier keyhole kofun (Hashihaka Kofun, Shibuya Mukaiyama Kofun) were built around the early 4th century. The trend of keyhole kofun first spread from Yamato to Kawachi (where gigantic kofun such as Daisen Kofun of the Emperor Nintoku were built), and then throughout the country (except for the Tōhoku region) in the 5th century. Later that century, keyhole kofun were also built in Gaya confederacy in the Southern part of the Korean peninsula. The spreading of keyhole kofun is generally assumed to be evidence of the Yamato court's expansion in this age. However, some argue that it simply shows the spreading of culture based on progress in distribution, and has little to do with political breakthrough. Whether keyhole kofun in Gaya was for local chieftains influenced by Japanese culture or for Japanese aristocrats is also argued. Some Korean scholars deny Japanese influences over Gaya, but most archeologists recognize these keyhole-shaped kofun in Korea as evidence of the cultural flow from Japan. Keyhole-shaped kofun disappeared in late 6th century, probably because of the drastic reformation in the Yamato court, where Nihon Shoki records the introduction of Buddhism during this era.
Identification of the Buried People
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References
- 飛鳥高松塚 (Takamatsuzuka, Asuka), 橿原考古学研究所編, 明日香村, 1972.
- 前方後円墳 (Keyhole-shaped kofun), 上田宏範, 学生社, 東京, 1969.
- 前方後円墳と古代日朝関係 (Keyhole-shaped kofun and diplomatic relations between ancient Japan and Korea), 朝鮮学会編, 東京, 同成社, 2002.
See also
- William Gowland, English engineer who made the first deliberate survey for Saki kofun group.
- Ernest Satow, English diplomat who wrote about kofun in Kozuke for the Asiatic Society of Japan.
