Imperial tomb excavations in Japan

From Asahi Shimbun:

Unlike the ancient pyramids in Egypt which gave up many of their secrets long ago, imperial burial mounds in Japan for the most part remain a closed chapter in history. The Imperial Household Agency rarely gives permission to excavate. Thus, many tombs are shrouded in mystery.

So it was unusual that the Imperial Household Agency decided to divulge details of a dig in Ibaraki, Osaka Prefecture, that was presumed to hold the remains of Emperor Keitai, who was enthroned early in the 6th century. The keyhole-shaped burial mound called Ota-Chausuyama-kofun is 226 meters long, squared off at the front and protruding in a sort of circular shape. So-called kofun tombs, massive earth constructions for their time, were built mainly for the ruling elite from the fourth to seventh centuries.

Historians have long speculated who was buried there. Unlike the pyramids, where authorities are keen to open the tombs to study, the 240 burial mounds nationwide are almost never excavated.

The contents for the most part are kept secret except in the case of natural disasters when sections are exposed or because the structure has collapsed.

Posted by David on January 3, 2003 9:05 PM