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TheHaniwa (埴輪) areterracotta clay[2][3] figures that were made for ritual use and buried with the dead as funerary objects during theKofun period (3rd to 6th centuries AD) of thehistory of Japan.Haniwa were created according to thewazumi technique, in which mounds of coiled clay were built up to shape the figure, layer by layer.[4]Haniwa can also refer to offering cylinders, not the clay sculptures on top of them[5] as well as the "wooden haniwa" found inKofuntumuli.[6]
TerracottaHaniwa were made with water-based clay and dried into a coarse and absorbent material that stood the test of time. Their name means "circle of clay", referring to how they were arranged in a circle above the tomb. The protruding parts of the figures were made separately and then attached, while a few things were carved into them. They were smoothed out by a wooden paddle. Terraces were arranged to place them with a cylindrical base into the ground, where the earth would hold them in place.
During the Kofun period, a highly aristocratic society with militaristic rulers developed. Thecavalry wore iron armor, carriedswords and other weapons, and used advanced military methods like those of northeast Asia. Many of them are represented inhaniwa figurines for funerary purposes.
The most important of thehaniwa were found in southernHonshū—especially theKinai region aroundNara—and northernKyūshū.Haniwa grave offerings were made in many forms, such as horses, chickens, birds, fans, fish, houses, weapons, shields, sunshades, pillows, and humans. Besides decorative and spiritual reasons of protecting the deceased in the afterlife, these figures served as a sort of retaining wall for theburial mound.
Because thesehaniwa display the contemporary clothing, hairstyle, farming tools, and architecture, these sculptures are important as a historical archive of the Kofun Period.
Everyday pottery items from that period are calledHaji pottery.
Earlier, clay figurines, calleddogū, appeared during theJōmon period.
Hiroaki Sato cites a passage from theNihon Shoki, in whichEmperor Suinin issued an imperial edict concerning funerals: "From now on make it a rule to erect clay figures and not to hurt people." It was therefore thought that these clay figures may have replaced live human sacrifices.[7] However,haniwa figures were not made until long after Suinin's rule had ended.[8]
The origin ofhaniwa started during the latter part of theYayoi period around theKingdom of Kibi. During this time special earthenware figurines and bowls started to appear on top of the tombs of leaders. The early sculptures exceeded 1 m (3.3 ft) in length. They consisted of a cylindrical portion, which represented the torso, and a skirt-shaped portion at the base, which represented the legs. Many times a special insignia or pattern would be displayed on the torso. Sometimes an obi would be placed around the torso. These sculptures are thought to have been used as part of a funeral ritual. Other than the Kibi area, the only other place these sculptures were found was in theIzumo province.
During the latter part of the third century, these sculptures started to appear on top of the imperialgrave mounds in the Kinai region. During this time more elaboratehaniwa appeared with earthenware bowls. It is believed that the movement of these sculptures andhaniwa from the Kibi region to the Kinai region is indicative of an increase in their importance.
During the earlier part of theKofun period (later 3rd century CE) the only earthenwarehaniwa were cylindrical, like barrels. These haniwa barrels were used to form thekofun mound. They were arranged in the shape of the mound (square, circle, or keyhole) and soil was brought in to fill the interior, and then a new row of haniwa barrels was arranged to make the next level and the process was repeated until the mound was the desired height. Additional soil was added to the exterior to form sloping sides.
Toward the early 4th century CE,haniwa sculptures in the shape of shields and other tools started to appear. By the middleKofun period (mid-5th century AD), there werehaniwa statues in the shape ofshrine maidens, horses, dogs, and other animals. As the practice of ceremonialburial mounds declined in the mid-6th century CE,haniwa became rarer in the Kinai region; however,haniwa were made in abundance in theKantō region.
It is not uncommon for some haniwa to be painted with red dye or other colors. Besides the cylindrical haniwa (enkei-haniwa), another common type was the house-shaped haniwa (keisho-haniwa). Other things that fell into the category of keisho-haniwa were those shaped like humans, animals, and swords. The details on the haniwa give information about the elite buried in the tomb, and represent some of the tools or other objects people of that time used. The military haniwa inform archeologists of the armour and weapons, as well as the status symbols of the military class.
Originally, the cylindrical typehaniwa were set on top of thefuneral mounds, so it is believed that they had a purpose in funeral rituals; however, as thehaniwa became more developed, they were set toward the outside of the grave area. It is thought that they were used as boundary markers for the borders of the gravesite.
There is a theory that the soul of the deceased would reside in thehaniwa, as the earlierhaniwa were placed on top of the funeral mounds. There arehaniwa that are equipped with weapons and armor. These are thought to be containers for souls. The armor and weapons would drive away evil spirits and protect the buried ruler from calamity.[citation needed] Because the horse- and animal-shapedhaniwa were normally neatly arranged into a line, it is believed that they were part of a sending-off ceremony.
Although the religious implications of thehaniwa have largely declined in modern society, the sculptures are prized by many for their aesthetic and historical significance. The works of Isamu Noguchi, for example, were heavily influenced by thehaniwa.[9][10] They have been accepted as "Pure Art", according toTime magazine.[11] Beyond simple appreciation as artistic sculptures, modern popular culture has, in some cases, portrayed thehaniwa as containing a sentient entity and not just as a simple empty sculpture.
The portrayal of livinghaniwa has—since the late 1990s—become widespread, being featured in entertainment media, including but not limited to:video games,trading cards,movies, andtelevision. In some of the depictions, thehaniwa is primarily presented as a ghostlike, malevolent creature with noemotional remorse to complete its task. The most common portrayal depicts thehaniwa with a rounded, pot-like shape, bearing two deep eyes, a wide mouth, and two featureless "arms" on opposite sides of the "pot". Gyroids in theAnimal Crossing video game series are based onhaniwa, and, indeed, are so called in the game's original Japanese versions.
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