Kurumazuka Kofun

Japanese: 車塚古墳 - くるまづかこふん

Kurumazuka is a type of keyhole-shaped tomb, with the mound resembling the two wheels of a cart. Therefore, keyhole-shaped tombs can be found all over the country, and there are even examples of two next to each other, such as the Higashi Kurumazuka and Nishi Kurumazuka in Yawata, Kyoto Prefecture.

[Takashi Imai]

Bizen Kurumazuka Tomb

Bizen Kurumazuka, located in Yuba, Naka-ku, Okayama City, on the border between Shigoze Shrine and Shigoze Shrine, is a 48-meter-long keyhole-shaped tomb built on the top of a ridge, with the front end opening in a drumstick shape. It has roofing stones and the base is in the shape of a row of stones, but there are no clay figurines. In the center of the rear part, there is a vertical stone chamber perpendicular to the main axis of the tomb, measuring 5.9 meters in length, 1.3 meters in width, and 1.5 meters in height, and contains a split bamboo-shaped wooden coffin. During the tomb raids, 13 mirrors, swords, swords, spears, iron arrowheads, a strip-shaped iron axe, and a bag-shaped iron axe were unearthed, and academic research has unearthed iron arrowheads, a bag-shaped iron axe, swords, swords, spears, and yugii. All 13 mirrors were imported, including one each of an inner floral design mirror, a picture pattern band mirror and a divine beast mirror, and 11 triangular-rimmed divine beast mirrors. Nine of the eight types of triangular-rimmed divine beast mirrors are known to have the same motif, and the burial mounds from which they have been excavated span from Kyushu to Kanto. These are burial mounds from the early period of antiquity.

[Takashi Imai]

Iioka Kurumazuka Tomb

It is located in Inooka, Kyotanabe City, Kyoto Prefecture. It is a keyhole-shaped tumulus built on the edge of a hill and is 87 meters long, with a diameter of 60 meters at the rear mound and 48 meters wide at the front. Stone bracelets, wheel stones, stone containers, jewels, swords, and other items have been excavated from the pit-type stone chamber at the rear mound. Of particular note are the discovery of over 50 pieces of jewelry in the shape of bracelets made of jasper. It dates from the late 4th century to the end of the 4th century.

[Takashi Imai]

Kumobe Kurumazuka Tomb

It is located in Higashihonjo, Tanba Sasayama City (formerly Kumobe Village), Hyogo Prefecture. It is a 139-meter long keyhole-shaped tumulus made up of a low hill, with the rear circular mound 82 meters in diameter, 13 meters in height, and the front 89 meters wide and 11 meters high. It has roofing stones and haniwa clay figures, and is surrounded by a wide moat and outer bank. In the center and south of the rear circular mound is a pit-type stone chamber containing a nagamochi-shaped stone coffin, and items such as four pieces of armor, 42 swords, a spear, iron arrowhead bundles, and horse equipment have been excavated outside the coffin. There may also be a burial facility located north of the center of the rear circular mound. It dates to the mid to late 5th century.

[Takashi Imai]

Kutsugawa Kurumazuka Tomb

It is located on the alluvial plateau of Hirakawa in Joyo City, Kyoto Prefecture (formerly Kutsukawa Village). Together with six other surrounding burial mounds, it is called the Kutsukawa Burial Mound Group.

[Takashi Imai]

"Kamaki Yoshimasa and Kondo Yoshiro, "Bizen Kurumazuka Kofun" (Collected in Archaeological Research, No. 56, 1968, Archaeological Research Society)" ▽ "Umehara Sueji, "Iioka Kofun" (Collected in the Report of the Kyoto Prefecture Historic Sites and Scenic Areas Investigation Committee, No. 2, 1920, Kyoto Prefecture)" ▽ "Suenaga Masao, "Aerial View of Kofun" (1975, Gakuseisha)"

[Reference] | Kutsugawa Tomb Group

Iioka Kurumazuka Tomb
Kyotanabe City, Kyoto Prefecture © Kyotanabe City Tourism Association ">

Iioka Kurumazuka Tomb

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

車塚とは前方後円（方）墳の一呼称で、墳丘を車の両輪に見立てたものという。したがって前方後円（方）墳は各地にあり、京都府八幡(やわた)東車塚、同西車塚のように2基が相並んでいる例もある。

［今井　尭］

備前車塚古墳

岡山市中区湯迫(ゆば)、四御神(しのごぜ)境にある備前車塚は尾根頂を利用してつくられた全長48メートルの前方後方墳で、前方部端が撥(ばち)形に開く。葺石(ふきいし)があり裾(すそ)は列石状を示すが埴輪(はにわ)はない。後方部中央に古墳主軸に直交する内法(うちのり)長5.9メートル、幅1.3メートル、高さ1.5メートルの竪穴(たてあな)式石室があり、割竹(わりだけ)形木棺を内包する。盗掘の際に鏡13面、剣、刀、矛、鉄鏃(てつぞく)、短冊(たんざく)形鉄斧(てっぷ)、袋状鉄斧が出土し、学術調査によって鉄鏃、袋状鉄斧、剣、刀、やりがんな、靭(ゆぎ)が出土した。鏡13面はすべて舶載鏡で、内行花文(ないこうかもん)鏡、画文帯(がもんたい)神獣鏡各1面、三角縁(さんかくぶち)神獣鏡11面である。三角縁神獣鏡8種9面には同笵(どうはん)鏡が知られ、その出土古墳は九州から関東に及んでいる。発生期の古墳である。

［今井　尭］

飯岡車塚古墳

京都府京田辺市飯岡(いのおか)に所在する。丘陵端利用の全長87メートルの前方後円墳で、後円部径60メートル、前方部幅48メートルある。後円部の竪穴式石室から石釧(いしくしろ)、車輪石、石製合子(ごうす)、玉類、刀剣などが出土した。いわゆる碧玉(へきぎょく)製腕輪形宝器50余点の出土が注目される。4世紀後半から末葉に属する。

［今井　尭］

雲部車塚古墳

兵庫県丹波篠山(たんばささやま)市（旧雲部(くもべ)村）東本荘(ひがしほんじょう)にある。低丘陵利用の全長139メートルの前方後円墳であり、後円部径82メートル、高さ13メートル、前方部幅89メートル、高さ11メートルで、葺石、埴輪があり広い周濠(しゅうごう)と外堤が巡る。後円部中央や南寄りに長持(ながもち)形石棺を伴う竪穴式石室があり、棺外から甲冑(かっちゅう)4、刀剣42、鉾(ほこ)、鉄鏃束、馬具などが出土した。後円部中央北寄りに埋葬施設がある可能性もある。5世紀中葉から後半に属する。

［今井　尭］