Fourth and Fifth Centuries
The items that are found inside a kofun burial mound can be used to estimate the age of the tomb. Items commonly found in kofun from the mid-third to fourth century include comma-shaped stone beads called magatama and ceremonial bronze mirrors. By the fifth century, iron helmets, armor, and tools were more common. This shift is believed to reflect both the growth of metalworking technology and a change in cultural values concerning religion and warfare.
The museum has many fifth-century artifacts on display, including several examples of large circular bronze mirrors excavated from a kofun in the nearby city of Ibaraki. Slabs of raw iron called tettei and sets of iron armor are also on display. Since iron had to be imported from overseas at the time, its burial was a staggering display of wealth.
Terracotta figures called haniwa that adorned the outside of the kofun are displayed throughout the museum. Their designs grew more elaborate over time, starting from simple cylinders and jugs and progressing to more complex images of real-world objects such as people, animals, and buildings. One of the museum’s prized artifacts is a large, house-shaped haniwa from the fourth century. The 70-centimeter structure is a representation of a raised-floor residence with a gabled roof and even has a small bed inside. The exterior has traces of red paint and is engraved with a pattern of shields. Given the attention to detail, it was likely modeled on the real home of a noble family, providing priceless information about architecture at the time.
