Saitama Kofun Group - Saitama Kofun Group

Japanese: 埼玉古墳群 - さきたまこふんぐん

<br /> A group of ancient tombs from the 5th to 7th centuries in Gyoda City, Saitama Prefecture and elsewhere. It is located on alluvial land at an altitude of 17 to 18 meters, surrounded by the Tone River and the Motoarakawa River. There were 35 circular tombs and one square tomb, which were small tombs of subordinate vassals, around the nine large tombs, but they were demolished in the early Showa period when the surrounding swamps were reclaimed, and now eight keyhole-shaped tombs, one circular tomb, and the remains of a newly discovered small circular tomb remain. During the Kofun period, this area is said to have been a peninsula that jutted out into a large lake called Saitama Numa, which is connected to Tokyo Bay on the east, and the large tombs are concentrated in a narrow area of 600m east to west and 900m north to south, and most of the keyhole-shaped tombs are surrounded by double moats, which are only seen in large tombs of the imperial class in the Yamato region. It was designated a national historic site in 1938 (Showa 13), and after a name change, it was additionally designated in 1989 (Heisei 1). Maruhakayama Kofun, with a diameter of 105m, is the largest circular tumulus in Japan, while Futagoyama Kofun, with an axis length of 138m, is the largest keyhole-shaped tumulus in Musashi Province (present-day Saitama Prefecture, Tokyo, and part of Kanagawa Prefecture). Inariyama Kofun , with an axis length of 120m, is known nationwide for the discovery of the "gold inlaid iron sword," designated a national treasure, during an excavation survey in 1968 ( Showa 43 ), along with a painted belt divine beast mirror and a jade magatama . The iron sword, with a total length of about 73.5cm, is engraved with an inscription of 115 characters in gold inlay, and the inscription, which records the year 471, is said to be the oldest surviving text. There are theories about who built it, including the Chichibu no Kuni no Miyatsuko and the Musashi no Kuni no Miyatsuko, but there are many theories about the inscription. Shogunyama Tomb, with its 90m long main axis, has a horizontal stone chamber in the rear mound that is open to the public, and a horse helmet ( bachu ), which is rare in Japan, was excavated from it. Kawarazuka Tomb, with its 73m long main axis, has unearthed a large number of figurative haniwa clay figures, and the group of tombs includes the 109m Teppoyama Tomb, the 79m Nakanoyama Tomb, the 66m Okunoyama Tomb, and the 53m Atagoyama Tomb. The surrounding area has been developed as Sakitama Tomb Park, and excavated items are on display at the Sakitama Historic Site Museum. It is about a 40-minute walk from Kita-Konosu Station on the JR Takasaki Line.

Source: Kodansha National Historic Site Guide Information

Japanese:

埼玉県行田(ぎょうだ)市埼玉ほかにある5～7世紀ごろの古墳群。利根川と元荒川に囲まれた標高17～18mの沖積地に立地する。9基の大型古墳の周りに陪臣の小型古墳である円墳35基、方墳1基があったが、昭和初期に周囲の沼地の干拓で取り壊され、現在は8基の前方後円墳、1基の円墳と新たに発見された小型円墳跡が残る。古墳時代、このあたりは東が東京湾につながる埼玉沼という大きな湖に突き出た半島だったといわれ、大型古墳が東西600m、南北900mの狭い範囲に密集し、大和地方の天皇陵クラスの大古墳にしか見られない二重周濠が前方後円墳のほとんどにめぐらされている。1938年（昭和13）に国史跡に指定され、名称変更を経て、1989年（平成1）に追加指定が行われた。径105mの丸墓山(まるはかやま)古墳は日本最大の円墳であり、主軸長138mの二子山(ふたごやま)古墳は武蔵国(むさしのくに)（現在の埼玉県、東京都、神奈川県の一部）で最大規模の前方後円墳。主軸長120mの稲荷山(いなりやま)古墳は、1968年（昭和43）の発掘調査によって、画文帯神獣鏡(しんじゅうきょう)や翡翠(ひすい)の勾玉(まがたま)などとともに国宝に指定された「金錯銘(きんさくめい)鉄剣」が出土したことで全国的に知られている。全長約73.5cmの鉄剣には金象嵌による115文字の銘文が刻まれ、銘文は西暦471年の年号を記した現存最古の文章といえる。築造者については、秩父国造(ちちぶのくにのみやつこ)説、武蔵国造説などがあるが、銘文をめぐってはさまざまな議論が展開されている。後円部の横穴石室が公開されている主軸長90mの将軍山古墳からは、全国でも珍しい馬のための馬冑(ばちゅう)が出土した。主軸長73mの瓦塚(かわらづか)古墳からは形象埴輪が多数出土、そのほか109mの鉄砲山古墳、79mの中の山古墳、66mの奥の山古墳、53mの愛宕山(あたごやま)古墳が古墳群を形成している。周辺はさきたま古墳公園として整備され、さきたま史跡の博物館には出土品が展示されている。JR高崎線北鴻巣駅から徒歩約40分。

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