Tokubetsuten haniwa: Keikō no bujin kokuhō shitei 50-shūnen kinen : Kyūshū Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan kaikan 20-shūnen kinen = Haniwa : tomb sculptures of Japan : special exhibition celebrating the 50th anniversary of the designation of the Warrior in Keikō Armor as a National Treasure & celebrating the 20th anniversary of Kyushu National Museum

Abstract

"Distinct keyhole-shaped burial mounds and other colossal tumuli were built across the Japanese archipelago some 1,750 years ago. Arrangements of terracotta tomb sculptures, called haniwa, were placed on the exteriors of the mounds. The objects and people they represent offer insights into everyday life at the time, the sovereigns that ruled, and the figures that surrounded them. The exhibition features a selection of more than 120 cultural treasures from close to fifty sites stretching from the southern island of Kyushu to northeastern Japan. The artifacts on view include early cylindrical haniwa, simple renderings of human figures, endearing depictions of animals, elaborate armaments, and miniature versions of houses and boats. For the first time in history, one of the greatest haniwa masterpieces, Haniwa Warrior in Keikō Armor, will be displayed together with four 'sibling' haniwa warriors thought to have been made at the same production site. While highlighting the diverse forms and enduring appeal of haniwa, the exhibition examines social roles during the Kofun period (ca. 3rd century-7th century) and further explores why certain types of haniwa might have been produced"-- Foreword (page [5]).