05/23/2024
Over 100 bronze mirrors found at Nara burial mound
Archaeologists in Japan have uncovered a remarkable burial site within the massive Sakurai Chausuyama Kofun, a keyhole-shaped mound dating to the early Kofun period (250 CEβ552 CE), located in Sakurai, Nara Prefecture. The excavation has revealed over 100 ancient bronze mirrors.
Among the mirrors found are the so-called βHimikoβs mirrors,β featuring a distinctive triangular rim adorned with depictions of gods and animals. Himiko, whose name these mirrors bear, is a semi-legendary figure from early third-century Japan. While absent from Japanese historical records, she is briefly mentioned in Chinese historical texts. Himiko is known for her role as a shaman queen who ruled over the Yamatai-koku kingdom.
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