Circular mirror with deities and beasts

Burial Objects

Archaeologists have found numerous stone bracelets in burial chambers from the early Kofun period (250–552). Along with bronze mirrors, comma-shaped beads, and other stone and shell artifacts, the bracelets are generally associated with shamanistic practices. Armor and weaponry prominently appear in tombs later in the Kofun period and represent a shift toward objects that reflect the military and economic power base of the deceased.

Bronze Mirrors

Because of their reflective properties, mirrors were believed to have magical powers. Archaeologists have excavated many imported and Japanese-made mirrors from the burial chambers in early tomb mounds (kofun), and mirrors show up with some frequency in later tombs as well. In some burial sites they have found one mirror placed against the skull with others arrayed around the body of the deceased. Archaeologists theorize that these mirrors may be related to shamanistic beliefs and rituals, and in some cases may have been distributed among Japan’s early elites to signify political affiliations among rulers.

Kofun mirrors have a polished, reflective side and a back side decorated in relief (the sides displayed here). The central knob on the mirror’s back would have been threaded with a cord to make it easy to hold. Images of deities and beasts, as well as geometric shapes, are incorporated into the complex designs of these mirrors.

The mirrors in this case were made of bronze in China or in Japan during the Kofun period (250–552). The exact origin of each mirror has not yet been conclusively determined. The appearance of imported mirrors among the grave goods of this period is evidence of early trade and diplomatic connections between Japan and its mainland neighbors.