Seated figure playing a ‘koto’ zither. Haniwa earthenware.

Collection NumberA002315
TitleSeated figure playing a ‘koto’ zither. Haniwa earthenware.
DateKofun period, 6th century.
Name of prefectures & citiesJapan
Place of excavationPresumably from the Niwatoriduka burial mound, Kyosen area, Mooka city, Tochigi prefecture.
Description of works【Kofun (Tumulus) period: the fashion and makeup of the people】
Haniwa (terracotta funerary objects) come in a variety of shapes, including animals and humans, as well as cylinders, houses, weapons, and other human-made objects. Human haniwa are valuable sources of information about the Kofun period, including how people dressed and what they looked like, as paintings and writings describing the lives of people then are scarce.
This haniwa is a male figure with his long hair tied on each side of his head. This is believed to have been the hair style of the men in that era. Part of his face is coated with a vermilion paint, indicating that people had facial tattoos or that they wore makeup. This figure also wears a pair of shoes, a conical hat, and hand guards. On his knees is a board with string marks, suggesting that the people in the Kofun period enjoyed the music of stringed instruments, just as we do today.

PageTop