Haniwa placed around kofun are valuable artifacts that convey the lives and culture of people during the Kofun Period. Let us examine the types of haniwa and Kofun Period culture.
Basic Knowledge
Haniwa are unglazed clay figures placed on the surfaces or around kofun. They began to be made around the end of the 3rd century, and their types increased over time.
Types of haniwa:
・Cylindrical haniwa: The most common cylindrical haniwa, arranged around kofun
・Figurative haniwa: Haniwa shaped like people, animals, houses, boats, equipment, and other objects
- Human haniwa: Warriors, shrine maidens, musicians, farmers, and others
- Animal haniwa: Horses, dogs, birds, and boars
- Equipment haniwa: Houses, boats, shields, armor, and chairs
Haniwa were made by low-temperature firing, like Haji ware, and were reddish-brown. They are thought to have initially separated the kofun area and later developed the role of recreating the deceased person's life.
Haniwa Clay figures arranged on kofun (cylindrical and figurative)
Haji ware Descended from Yayoi pottery, low-temperature fired and reddish-brown
Sue ware Introduced from the Korean Peninsula, high-temperature fired, gray, made using a potter's wheel
Takamatsuzuka Tumulus murals Late 7th century, vividly colored figures and images of the Four Guardian Gods
Kitora Tumulus murals Late 7th century, images of the Four Guardian Gods, astronomical chart, and zodiac animals
Stone chambers Burial spaces inside kofun (vertical-pit and horizontal-entry types)
Grave goods Bronze mirrors, beads, weapons, horse equipment, Sue ware, and others
Further Study (Background and Impact)
Regarding the origin of haniwa, the Nihon Shoki records an interesting tradition. During the reign of Emperor Suinin, when the empress died, Nomi no Sukune of the Haji clan proposed making clay figures and burying them instead of burying attendants alive in a practice called ritual suicide. This is said to have been the beginning of haniwa. In reality, the connection with ritual suicide is uncertain, but haniwa nevertheless had a meaning connected with mourning the dead.
The internal structure of kofun also changed over time.
・Vertical-pit stone chamber (early period): A hole was dug from above the kofun to place the body inside. It could not be reopened
・Horizontal-entry stone chamber (middle period onward): Had a passage called a passageway that entered from the side and allowed additional burials
The appearance of horizontal-entry stone chambers made it possible for families to be buried in the same tomb.
In the late Kofun Period, the 7th century, vividly colored murals were discovered in the Takamatsuzuka Tumulus and Kitora Tumulus in Asuka, Nara Prefecture. The female figures in the Takamatsuzuka Tumulus, known as the Asuka Beauties, often appear in textbooks and show the high level of painting technology of the time and Chinese and Korean influence. The Kitora Tumulus depicts the Four Guardian Gods—Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise—and reflects the East Asian view of the universe.
- Haniwa = clay figures arranged on kofun, including cylindrical and figurative types
- Figurative haniwa: people, animals, houses, boats, equipment, and others
- Origin of haniwa: replacement for ritual suicide (tradition of Nomi no Sukune)
- Vertical-pit stone chamber (early period) → horizontal-entry stone chamber (middle period onward)
- Horizontal-entry stone chamber = allowed additional burials and family burials
- Takamatsuzuka Tumulus (Nara) = mural of the Asuka Beauties
- Kitora Tumulus (Nara) = images of the Four Guardian Gods and astronomical chart
Points to Note (Easily Confused)
① Never confuse haniwa (Kofun Period) with dogu (Jomon Period). Haniwa had various forms and were placed on kofun; dogu mainly represented women and were used in Jomon rituals. ② The difference between Haji ware and Sue ware: Haji ware = low temperature and reddish-brown, descended from Yayoi pottery; Sue ware = high temperature and gray, introduced from Korea. ③ Remember the difference between vertical-pit and horizontal-entry stone chambers. ④ The Takamatsuzuka and Kitora Tumuli lie at the boundary between the end of the Kofun Period and the Asuka Period; some textbooks treat them as Asuka culture. ⑤ “Asuka Beauties” is a popular name; the formal name is “Female Figures on the West Wall.”
Practice
- Explain the difference between cylindrical and figurative haniwa.
- State the difference between vertical-pit and horizontal-entry stone chambers.
- State the characteristics of the murals in the Takamatsuzuka Tumulus.