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Amenomiya Kofun Cluster

Coordinates: 36°58′15″N 136°51′38″E / 36.97083°N 136.86056°E / 36.97083; 136.86056
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Amenomiya Kofun Group
雨の宮古墳群
Amenomiya Kofun Group
Location in Japan
Location in Japan
Amenomiya Kofun Group
Location in Japan
Location in Japan
Amenomiya Kofun Cluster (Japan)
LocationNakanoto, Ishikawa, Japan
RegionHokuriku region
Coordinates36°58′15″N 136°51′38″E / 36.97083°N 136.86056°E / 36.97083; 136.86056
TypeKofun
Area79,045 square meters
History
PeriodsKofun period
Site notes
Public accessYes (archaeological park)

The Amenomiya Kofun Group (雨の宮古墳群, Amenomiya kofun-gun) is a group of middle Kofun period burial tumuli located in the Rokusei neighborhood of the town of Nakanoto, Ishikawa in the Hokuriku region of Japan. The site was designated a National Historic Site of Japan in 1982.[1]

Overview

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Map of the Amenomiya kofun group

The Amenomiya Kofun Group consists of 36 ancient tombs dating from the middle of the 4th century to the beginning of the 5th century centered on Mount Bijo-san, a 188-meter hill in Nakanoto. [2]

Tomb No.1, located on the highest elevation is the largest "two conjoined rectangles" type (zenpō-kōhō-fun [ja] (前方後方墳)) tumulus in Ishikawa Prefecture, with an overall length of 64 meters. The posterior is 43.6 meters long by 8.5 meters high and the anterior is 31 meters long. It was made by partially cutting away a natural hill, and by using two different types of soil in alternate layers for strength and stability. It is a two-stage tumulus and was covered with fukiishi. These fukiishi are in three sizes, with larger stones 40 to 60 centimeters used in the bottom tier, smaller stones 2 to 30 centimeters in the upper tier, and smallest stones (10 centimeters) as filler in-between the larger stones. The stones are in a variety of materials, some of which can only be found at considerable distances from the site. Two burial facilities were confirmed on the flat surface at the posterior top. The first is located approximately in the center, and the second burial facility is located to the west of it. The burial chamber contained a split bamboo-shaped wooden coffin that was 6.2 meters long and 80 centimeters wide with a rope hook on both the lid and the body. There is evidence that it was robbed in antiquity; however, some remaining grave goods included a bronze mirror, 165 metal artifacts, 34 jade beads, and fragments of lacquerware and pottery.[2] These artifacts were collectively designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan in 2008.[3] The second burial chamber is made of andesite stone slabs, but has not been opened. A portion of the tumulus was damaged by the 2007 Noto earthquake.

Tomb No.2 is a round keyhole-shaped tumulus, zenpō-kōen-fun (前方後円墳), having one square end and one circular end, located to the northeast of Tomb No.1. It has an overall length of 65 meters, with a circular portion 42 meters in diameter, and the width of the rectangular port of 28 meters, narrowing in 25.5 meter where the two portions join. It also has two tier construction and uses fukiishi. There is no evidence of tampering, and it is possible that the burial chamber is intact; it has not been excavated.[2] The other tumuli in the cluster are mostly smaller circular-type [ja] (empun (円墳)).

Per the Ishikawa Archaeological Society, the tumuli are as follows:

Designation Type Diameter Height (m) Comments
1号墳 co-joined rectangle See text above
2号墳 keyhole-shaped See text above
3号墳 Circular 30 4.5 known as "Atagozuka"
4号墳 Circular 20 2.5 evidence of grave robbery
5号墳 Circular 13 2
6号墳 Circular 12.5 1.5~2
7号墳 Circular 8 2
8号墳 Circular 12 1.5
9号墳 Circular 10 1.5 irregular shape; may be a natural hill
10号墳 Circular 14 1.8
11号墳 Circular 12 1.5
12号墳 Circular 8 1.5 irregular shape; may be a natural hill
13号墳 Circular 17 2.8
14号墳 Circular 10 1.0
15号墳 Circular 6 0.8 irregular shape; may be a natural hill
16号墳 Circular 8 1.0 bisected by a road
17号墳 Circular 16 1.5 stone sarcophagus found
18号墳 Circular unknown unknown only the edges remain
19号墳 Circular unknown unknown only the edges remain
20号墳 Circular 22 2.2 low mound, like a cushion
21号墳 Circular 12 1.5 irregular shape; may be a natural hill
22号墳 Circular 13 1.8 Modified on one side
23号墳 Circular 11 2.0 Modified on one side
24号墳 Circular 18 2.5 Modified on one side
25号墳 Circular unknown unknown only the edges remain
26号墳 Circular 20 2.5~3 mostly destroyed
27号墳 Circular 15 1 possibly square-shaped
28号墳 Circular 12 1.2 may be a natural hill
29号墳 Circular 12 1.2 may be a natural hill
30号墳 Circular 10 1.2 irregular shape; may be a natural hill
31号墳 Circular 12 2 irregular shape; may be a natural hill
32号墳 Oval 9.0×14.0 1.3~1.0
33号墳 Circular 7.0 0.5~0.0
34号墳 Circular 9.0 1.0~0.0
35号墳 Circular 21 2.0~1.0 damaged by road on the west
36号墳 Circular 7.0 0.5 damaged by road on the west
37号墳 Circular 10.0 0.5
38号墳 Square 8.5×10.0 0.5
39号墳 Circular 13.0 2.5~1.0 damaged on the south side
R35号墳 Square (?) 10~5 0.5 Debris from No.1; possibly not a tomb
R36号墳 Square 11 0.5 beads found; possibly a ritual site and not a tomb

The site is preserved as an archaeological park, with the Ame-no-miya Noto Royal Tomb Museum (雨の宮能登王墓の館, Ame no miya Noto ō bo no yakata). It is located about 30 minutes by car from Notobe Station on the JR West Nanao Line.[2]

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "雨の宮古墳群" (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d Isomura, Yukio; Sakai, Hideya (2012). (国指定史跡事典) National Historic Site Encyclopedia. 学生社. ISBN 4311750404.(in Japanese)
  3. ^ "石川県雨の宮一号墳出土品" (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs.
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