Human-Shaped Haniwa

This figure depicts a woman with both hands extended in front of her as if she is lifting something up high in offering. There is a rectangular board attached to her head, which is representative of the Shimada hairstyle. This hairstyle was also one used by women of the Edo Period (1603-1868 C.E.), but this figure indicates that a similar hairstyle also existed during the Kofun Period. In this way, human-shaped haniwa, through identifiable attributes such as gender, clothing, and position in society, are valuable artifacts that provide clues about life in the Kofun Period.