Ancient Chinese Mirrors from Japanese Kofun Burial Mounds
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Mirror with a Pictorial Band, Deities, and Beasts
Found at the Izumi Koganezuka Tumulus, Osaka, Kofun period, 4th century (Created in China, 3rd century) (Important Cultural Property)Japanese Archaeology and Special Exhibition (Heiseikan) Japanese Archaeology Gallery
December 12, 2023 (Tue) - June 23, 2024 (Sun)The mirrors displayed here comprise two types: ones inscribed with their respective years of production, and ones that were passed down through multiple generations before burial in tumuli. The former type are inscribed with Chinese era names from dynasties such as the Wei (220–265) and the Wu (222–280), and have been excavated in limited number from Japanese tumuli. The latter were buried in tumuli years after being produced, and are invaluable for shedding light on the establishment of Kofun-period culture.
| Designation | Name | Creation/ Excavation/ Provenance |
Period | Acquisition/ Ownership/ Accession Number |
CMT | ||
| Highlight | Important Cultural Property | Mirror with a Pictorial Band, Deities, and Beasts | Found at the Izumi Koganezuka Tumulus, Osaka | Kofun period, 4th century (Created in China, 3rd century) | J-36931-1 | ||
| Important Cultural Property | Triangular-Rimmed Mirror with Deities and Beasts | Found at the Kanizawa Tumulus, Gunma | Kofun period, 4th century | Gift of Mr. Igarashi Kan'ei and Mr. Negishi Morisaburo, J-5800 | |||
| Highlight | National Treasure | Mirror with Human Figures | Passed down at Suda Hachiman Shrine, Wakayama | Kofun period, 5th–6th century |