Ebetsu Kofun Cluster, Ancient burial mound cluster in Ebetsu, Japan
The Ebetsu Kofun Cluster is a group of eighteen burial mounds positioned at the northwest edge of the Nopporo Hills at roughly 18 meters above sea level. These grave sites vary in shape and size, with diameters ranging from 3 to 10 meters and heights between 0.3 to 1 meter.
These grave sites developed during the Satsumon period and were investigated through archaeological excavations in 1931, which revealed sixteen burials containing objects like blades, magatama, earrings, and spindle whorls. The findings provide insight into the daily life and craftsmanship of an early Japanese community.
The mounds display circular, oval, and horseshoe-shaped ditches that reflect burial practices from the Satsumon culture in the 8th century. These varying forms show how ancient communities adapted their rituals to honor their dead.
The site is best explored on foot since the burial mounds are spread across a relatively compact area. Wearing comfortable shoes is helpful, as the terrain has some uneven surfaces and gentle slopes.
This burial field represents the northernmost discovered kofun site in Japan and reveals how this burial tradition spread into regions once thought too far north for such practices. The discovery shifted understanding of how far the Satsumon civilization extended geographically.
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