Teraji
Teraji Site · Teraji Tumulus Cluster Okayama
Kofun Middle–Late 400–600 CE (Kibi culture)·Kofun Kibi (Seto Inland-Kibi chiefdom)·🇯🇵 Okayama Prefecture, Soja City, Teraji hill above Takahashi River (Kibi tumulus belt north of Okayama plain), Japan
About
About Teraji
Kibi giant-tumulus cluster's harness-build tomb (c.400–600 CE Late Kofun) at Teraji on Takahashi River hill above Soja — keyhole tumulus 65 m long with horizontal stone corridor (yokoana) housing Sue ware jar burials and gilt-bronze horse trappings excavated 1970s. Teraji belongs to Soja–Kibi–Tsukuriyama tumulus corridor (largest inland Kofun zone outside Yamato), proving Kibi kingdom's independent chiefly lineage before Yamato expansion; Kikuchi River type bronze weapons at Teraji mirror Korean Gaya imports, showing Kibi–Korean exchange via Seto Inland Sea.
Why it mattersRepresentative Kibi keyhole proving non-Yamato chiefdom before Yamato consolidation; Gaya Korean horse gear link.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Did Kibi produce independent Sue ware before Yamato kilns?
Theories
- 01Kibi as maritime Korean–Seto bulwark; Seto Inland chiefly competition model
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.450 CE Middle Kofun keyhole; Sue ware burial c.550 CE
- Period
- Kofun Middle–Late 400–600 CE (Kibi culture)
- Culture
- Kofun Kibi (Seto Inland-Kibi chiefdom)
- Builders
- Kibi chiefs pre-Yamato; Korean Gaya smiths
- Purpose
- Elite tumulus with Korean-style horse burial on Kibi–Seto river corridor
- Abandoned
- c.600 CE after Yamato annexation of Kibi; tumulus reused Heian folk shrine
- Rediscovered
- 1970 Okayama Prefecture survey of Kibi corridor; 1974 Teraji excavation
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c.450 CE
Keyhole tumulus 65 m with yokoana corridor built for Kibi chief
c.550 CE
Sue ware jar burials and gilt-bronze horse trappings of Gaya Korean type added
1974
Okayama Pref. exposes corridor and horse gear; Kibi lineage proven
On the ground
Structures & features
34.6600° N · 133.7300° E · 30 m · 2 mapped features
Keyhole Mound (65 m) and Horizontal Stone Corridor (yokoana)
tumulus65 m keyhole tumulus with 8 m horizontal corridor and capstone with Sue jar burials
34.6605° N · 133.7305° EBurial Chamber with Sue Ware and Gaya Horse Trappings
burialCorridor chamber with Sue ware jars 60 cm and gilt-bronze Gaya horse bit and saddle gear
34.6595° N · 133.7295° E
Gallery