Sutra Mounds: Stones with Sutra Text Buried in Prayer
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Stones with Sutra Text, Found at the Kaminoue Sutra Mound, Hyōgo, Edo period, 17th–19th century (Gift of Mr. Yasui Yasujiro)
Japanese Archaeology and Special Exhibition (Heiseikan) Japanese Archaeology Gallery
March 14, 2023 (Tue) - September 18, 2023 (Mon)Sutra mounds were created from around the 9th century for the purpose of preserving and handing down Buddhist sutras. Sutras buried in the ground could take various forms, which included stones. Stones inscribed with sutra text are categorized into two types: stones with just one character from a sutra and those with multiple characters, namely a passage, taken from a sutra. The custom of burying stones with sutra text spread throughout Japan from the Muromachi (1392–1573) to the Edo (1603–1868) period.
| Designation | Name | Creation/ Excavation/ Provenance |
Period | Acquisition/ Ownership/ Accession Number |
CMT | ||
| Highlight | Stones with Sutra Text | Found at the Kaminoue Sutra Mound, Hyōgo | Edo period, 17th–19th century | Gift of Mr. Yasui Yasujiro, B-2147 | |||
| Stones with Sutra Text | Found at the Kōbōyama Sutra Mound, Kanagawa | Edo period, 17th century | Gift of Mr. Akaboshi Naotada, B-2177 |