#tumuli

Daisen-Kofun (5th century)

The tomb of Emperor Nintoku, Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, Japan,

Emperor Nintoku, also known as Ohosazaki no Sumeramikoto was the 16th Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.

The most prevalent and recognizable shape among kofuns is the keyhole design. This design resembles, quite literally, a keyhole when viewed from above. The keyhole-shaped kofuns consist of a circular or rectangular portion at one end and a long, narrow, and elevated section that tapers towards the other end.

These kofuns are known as the “zenpo koen fun.” The square part of the keyhole shape (zenpo-bu) serves as the head section. In contrast, the entombed person occupies the round part (koen-bu).

The hori (or moat) is an evacuated area of earth used to make the mound forming a moat.

The grandeur and size of keyhole-shaped kofuns can be awe-inspiring. Among them, we find some truly colossal examples, such as the renowned Daisen Kofun in Osaka, extending over 400 meters (1,300 feet).

Gaya Tumuli Republic of Korea,

This serial property includes archaeological cemetery sites with burial mounds attributed to the Gaya Confederacy, which developed in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula from the 1st to the 6th century CE.

Through their geographical distribution and landscape characteristics, types of burials, and grave goods, the cemeteries attest to the distinctive Gaya political system in which polities existed as autonomous political equals while sharing cultural commonalities.

The introduction of new forms of tombs and the intensification of the spatial hierarchy in the tumuli sites reflect the structural changes experienced by Gaya society during its history.

Circular mounds of rocks dot the desert landscape at the archaeological site of Tombos in northern Sudan. They reveal tumuli—the underground burial tombs used at least as far back as 2500 B.C. by ancient inhabitants who called this region Kush or Nubia. As a bioarchaeologist who excavates and analyzes human skeletal remains along with their related grave goods, I've been working at Tombos for more than 20 years.

The Dhamek Stupa is a massive tumulus located in Sarnath, India.

Built in 500 CE to replace an earlier structure erected by King Ashoka, the Dhamek Stupa also commemorates the Buddha’s activities in the region, specifically the mark the spot where he gave his first sermon to the five Brahmin disciples after they attained enlightenment. In several ancient Buddhist sources, it is said this site is also a sanctuary for animals.