1.
haniwa; terracotta clay figure
Unglazed terracotta figures that were placed on and around burial mounds (古墳) during the Kofun period (3rd-6th century). They depict humans, animals, houses, and other objects.
埴輪が出土した。
Haniwa were excavated.
博物館で馬の形をした埴輪を見た。
I saw a horse-shaped haniwa at the museum.
埴輪は古墳時代の人々の暮らしを知る手がかりとなっている。
Haniwa serve as clues to understanding the lives of people in the Kofun period.
Haniwa are iconic artifacts of ancient Japan from the 古墳時代 (Kofun period, roughly 3rd-6th century CE). They were arranged around 古墳 (burial mounds/tumuli). Types include 人物埴輪 (human figures), 動物埴輪 (animal figures), and 円筒埴輪 (cylindrical haniwa). The distinctive round eyes and open mouths of human haniwa are widely recognized in Japanese culture and often referenced in pop culture. Related: 古墳 (burial mound), 土偶 (clay figurine — from the earlier Jomon period).