Female Shaman Haniwa Found at Nishikaminomiya Site

A 1,500-year-old female shaman haniwa was uncovered at the Nishikaminomiya site in central Japan. The clay figure was recovered in August 2026 during excavations for a Tone River improvement project.

The discovery was made at the southern end of the site's largest burial mound, known as Tumulus No. 1. The haniwa had rolled from a projecting section of the mound into the surrounding ditch. This ditch, or moat, is approximately 60 feet wide. The mound itself is about 160 feet long. The figure is roughly 40 centimeters tall and consists of a torso and head, with its base broken off.

Four other fallen haniwa were found along the western side of the same ditch, spaced about 1.3 meters apart. The shaman figure retains detailed details. It wears a sash and has an elaborate hairstyle known as a Kofun Shimada topknot, formed from clay cord. Traces of red paint remain on the face, the lower part of the sash, and a bracelet on the right wrist. In its left hand, it holds a rod-shaped object, interpreted as a ceremonial implement used in religious rituals.

Context of the find

Excavations at the Nishikaminomiya site began in 2020 as part of the Tone River improvement project. The work is now complete. Over the course of the project, archaeologists identified eleven Kofun-period burial mounds at the site. Tumulus No. 1, where the haniwa was found, is the largest, measuring between 45 and 50 meters in length. The Kofun period lasted from approximately the third to the seventh century AD.

Significance of the figure

The anthropomorphic haniwa is one of the earliest of its kind found in Gunma Prefecture. It represents a miko, a woman associated with Shinto religious rituals. During the Kofun period, miko performed ceremonies at shrines and temples, sometimes entering trances to convey divine messages. Historians believe they held significant religious and political authority. Their depiction on elite tombs shows their importance in society.

Haniwa are unglazed earthenware objects placed on burial mounds as protective markers. Figural haniwa like this one were typically sculpted on top of a simple cylinder, which was buried, leaving the figure above ground. The Gunma Prefectural Archaeological Research Center noted the find's importance, stating, "The identification offers an intriguing interpretation of the sculpture, although its precise role in the burial ceremony remains uncertain."

Display plans

The rare artifact will be available for public viewing. The Gunma Prefectural Archaeological Research Center will exhibit the haniwa at its Archaeological Information Museum. The display is scheduled to run from October 28 to November 30, 2026.