Makimuku Ishizuka-kofun Tumulus (a tumulus in the Makimuku-kofun Tumuli Cluster) (纒向石塚古墳)
The Makimuku Ishizuka-kofun Tumulus is an ancient tomb belonging to the Makimuku-kofun Tumuli Cluster. In the Makimuku ruins it may possibly be the oldest tumulus. Moreover, it has been attracting attention as a tumulus in the formation period of a large keyhole-shaped mound.
On January 26, 2006 it was designated as a national historic site.
Summary
Location: Aza Ishizuka, Ota, Sakurai City, Nara Prefecture
Buried person: Unknown
Time of construction: The early first half of the Kofun period (Tumulus period) (possibly in the middle of the third century)
Tomb shape: A Makinuki type keyhole-shaped mound
Size: 96 meters in full length, the back circular part (the main mound) 59 meters from east to west, 45 meters from north to south, irregular circle shaped.
The front square part is approximately 32 meters in length and 34 meters in width, and spread like a shamisen (a three-stringed Japanese banjo) plectrum.
The constricted spot is approximately 12.8 meters in width, the shugo (surrounding moat) approximately 20 meters in width; no fukiishi (a layer of stone covering the soil over a burial mound) and no haniwa (clay figure) are found.
Burial spot:
The top of the tomb was flattened out during the end of the Pacific War, and the remains of the base of an antiaircraft gun or an antiaircraft machine gun were found there. At that time the fact that neither the burial facilities and nor relics were found makes us think that the burial spot might be the back circular part or that the burial facilities might be in the deepest spot of the tomb.
Unearthed goods: Excavated from the shugo, unearthed earthen vessels from the end of the latter half of the Yayoi period to the early Kofun period.
Komon Enban (relics of Kibi type goods for religious service)
Vermilion-lacquered chicken-shaped wooden products
Wooden hoes
Wooden spades
Yokozuchi (large mallets)
Water tanks
Wooden goods such as building components
Haji potteries (Makimuku type I period)