Saitobaru Tumuli

Miyazaki, Japan

Inside Mound #13. The burial was inside this hollowed-out log of wood. A triangle-rim mirror and swords were placed near the person's head, and tubular beads were also found. The burial and log were sealed over with clay. Originally the entire chamber was filled in (open chambers were a feature of continental, not Japanese, burials), but in this restoration, the chamber was cleared to allow visitor access. The tumulus is oriented north-south, but the burial is somewhat off-axis to the northwest. The upward slope of the log may have been deliberate, perhaps to allow for drainage.