What is Kofun?
{{dablink|There is also a [[Kofun period]] in Japanese history}} [[Image:NintokuTomb Aerial photograph 2007.jpg|thumb|Daisen Kofun, the largest tomb of [[Emperor Nintoku]] in [[Sakai, Osaka|Sakai]], [[Osaka Prefecture]] ([[5th century]])]] {{nihongo|'''Kofun'''|古墳}} are [[wikt:earthen|earthen]] [[tomb]]s or [[tumulus|tumuli]] in [[Japan]]. They were constructed between the early 3rd century and early 7th century. These [[tumulus|burial mounds]] give their name to the [[Kofun period]] (middle [[3rd century]] - early-middle [[6th century]]). Many of the kofun have a [[wikt:keyhole|keyhole]]-shaped [[hill|mound]] ({{nihongo|''zenpo-koenfun''|前方後円墳}}) which is [[wikt:unique|unique]] to ancient Japan. ==Related pages== *[[William Gowland]], English engineer made the first survey for Saki kofun group *[[Ernest Satow]], English diplomat wrote about kofun in [[Kōzuke Province|Kozuke]] for the [[Asiatic Society of Japan]] ==References== *''飛鳥高松塚'' (''Takamatsuzuka, Asuka''), 橿原考古学研究所編, 明日香村, 1972. *''前方後円墳'' (''Keyhole-shaped kofun''), 上田宏範, 学生社, 東京, 1969. *''前方後円墳と古代日朝関係'' (''Keyhole-shaped kofun and diplomatic relations between ancient Japan and Korea''), 朝鮮学会編, 東京, 同成社, 2002. ==Other websites== {{Commonscat}} *[http://www.t-net.ne.jp/~keally/kofun.html Japanese Archaeology: Kofun Culture] *[http://www.jref.com/culture/kofun_period_era.shtml Kofun Period] *[http://www.nbz.or.jp/eng/prehistoric.htm Prehistoric Archaeology of Japan ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716090306/http://www.nbz.or.jp/eng/prehistoric.htm |date=2011-07-16 }} {{Japan-stub}} [[Category:History of Japan]] [[Category:Burial monuments and structures]]