Fujinoki tomb (藤ノ木古墳, Fujinoki-kofun) is a tumulus, known as a kofun in Japanese, located in Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, Japan. It is estimated to date from the later half of the sixth century or the late seventh century.[1] The burial mound is about 40 or 48 metres in diameter, nine metres in height, and the stone chamber the mound covers is sixteen metres in length.[2] Excavation began in 1985. The tomb yielded gilt-bronze ornaments, horse trappings, and a stone coffin.
The tomb's appearance is supplemented by the harness excavated in the tomb which is a Chinese product imported via the Korean Peninsula. Michio Maezono (Professor, Nara College of Arts) and Taichiro Shiraishi (Professor, Nara University) argue that it is highly possible Prince Anahobe (uncle of Prince Shōtoku, assassinated by Soga no Umako) and Prince Yakabe (prince of Emperor Senka) are the ones that were buried in this tumulus, because the tumulus was built when an assassination happened in June 587 according to "Nihonshoki" (Chronicles of Japan). Additionally, Iō Yūsuke stated that the native Japanese people of the day did not know the "meaning of the ornamental patterns carved on saddle fittings" nor "how to make such fittings".[2] On the other hand, Yamamoto Tadanao of Tenri University claims that some masks and sculptures exhibit the Northern Wei Chinese style.[3]
- ^ Kipfer (2000) p. 198
- ^ a b Shively et al (1993), p. 176
- ^ 藤ノ木古墳出土の馬具－畏獣図像からその来歴を探る－ [Harness of the ancient Fujinoki burial mound exhumation] (in Japanese). Tenri University website. Archived from the original on 2011-06-12.
藤ノ木古墳の「鬼面」の手指は2体とも3本であり、足指については左畏獣が2本、右畏獣は3本あるように見える。この観察が正しければ、これらは中国の伝統的な畏獣であり、原則が崩れかける前段階すなわち北魏末期から東魏にかけて、北朝の領域で製作されたと考えられる。北斉までは下らず、6世紀前半の製作とみなすのが妥当であろう。