Fundamental Research on Funeral Rites at Tumuli in East Asia Analyzed from Group Composition and Hierarchy of House-shaped Haniwa (Clay figure)

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23520943
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Archaeology
• Research Institution: Tokyo National Museum
• Principal Investigator: FURUYA TAKESHI 独立行政法人国立文化財機構東京国立博物館, 学芸研究部列品管理課, 主任研究員 (40238697)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): INUKI Tutomu 大阪大谷大学, 文学部, 教授 (40270417)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-28 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 日本考古学 / 古墳時代 / 東アジア / 家形埴輪 / 家形土器 / 葬送儀礼 / 埴輪生産 / 古代手工業生産

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The house-shaped haniwa (clay figure) is representative of a wide variety of figural haniwa. They were the first to appear among other types of haniwa and continued to be produced until the creation of keyhole-shaped tombs ceased. It is believed they symbolically reflect how settlements and houses looked, or else people’s view of the world (after death) of the Kofun Period (ca. mid-3rd century-ca. 7th century).This research was conducted to analyze funeral rites at tumuli, which played a significant role in regional integration of the Japanese archipelago, with the aim of revealing people’s view of the world (after death) in the Kofun period, during which the nation of Japan was being formed. The research was carried out by examining the group composition and hierarchy of the house-shaped haniwa, and comparing them with the architecture and house-shaped objects found in ancient agricultural societies in East Asia.

Free Research Field

日本考古学