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Rituals related to burial mounds
During Kofun period, people performed specific acts that denoted funerary services.
These were known as "Matsuri", the Japanese word for rituals.
There are various theories surrounding the details of these "Matsuri", there
function, and there role in finalizing the existence of the body of a person
of great importance and the preparation of their soul for the afterlife.
"Matsuri" performed at, and away from burial sites, were often long and multi
staged.
One of these "Matsuri" were performed for the positioning of "Haniwa" (unglazed
ceramic statuettes), on the site of the burial mounds.
There were"Matsuri"relating to the confirmation of death, aspects of ascension,
and the transfer of power.
Other "Matsuri" eulogized a specific figure heads life. There were preparations
of utopist royal palaces and well wishes of a safe journey into the afterlife.
During some "Matsuri", dedicated servants expressed desires to serve in the
afterlife. There were "Matsuri" where animal sacrifices were performed, and
of course there were rituals to celebrate and worship specific gods or deities.
One particular "Matsuri" was named the "Mogari". This was often a period of
time where a Head of States body would be held in repose while final preparations
to burial sites were performed and the final funerary chain of events were
agreed on.
There is a general belief that the basic forms of these "Matsuri" were influenced
by the Yamato Dynasty, however, the details of a particular "Matsuri" largely
depend on the specific area and the age of the burial mound.
One way to acknowledge the differences of these "Matsuri" is with the type
of "Haniwa" used in the rituals and their positioning on the burial mound.
In this exhibition of "Haniwa", the statuettes on display have been
retrieved from some of the more important burial sites and collated into groups,
in order for us to gain further understanding of the details of the ritual "Matsuri" that
took place there.
We hope you enjoy this exhibition.
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