新芦屋古墳, Square burial mound in Suita, Japan
Shin-Ashiya Kofun is a square-shaped burial mound measuring about 20 meters on each side, located in Suita. Inside, it contains a wooden burial chamber with a stone sarcophagus where the deceased was laid to rest.
The tomb dates to the early 7th century and was discovered in 1978 during residential construction work. The Suita City Board of Education promptly carried out emergency excavation to study and protect the site.
The burial goods reveal that the person entombed here owned horses and wore gold and silver ornaments. These objects show the social rank and wealth of the deceased, expressed through elaborate funeral customs of the time.
The excavated items are not displayed at the tomb itself but housed in the Suita City Museum in the Kishibe-kita district. Most visitors travel there to view the artifacts and learn more about this burial site.
This tomb represents the only known example in Japan of a wooden chamber burial facility paired with a stone sarcophagus from the Kofun period. This combination makes it archaeologically rare and valuable for understanding burial techniques of that era.
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