Unknown (Kofun period)
Haniwa Warrior
6th century
A haniwa warrior figure from Japan's Kofun period (3rd–7th century AD), one of the cylindrical terracotta guardians placed around the burial mounds of the early Japanese aristocracy. Equipped with armour, helmet, sword, and quiver, the warrior haniwa protected the deceased in the afterlife; the simplified geometry and restrained modelling exemplify the earliest stage of Japanese figurative sculpture and are a cornerstone of the Tokyo National Museum's Kofun galleries.
Exhibition Venue
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Image source: Wikimedia Commons
