Tatetsuki Site

The Tatetsuki Site is a significant archaeological location in Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture, Japan, representing one of the largest burial mounds of the Yayoi period. It features a mound approximately 43 meters in diameter with megalithic stones surrounding a central burial chamber. This site served as a burial place for chieftains of the Kingdom of Kibi, indicating considerable political power in the late Yayoi period, roughly between the late 2nd century and early 3rd century CE. The site provides insight into the funerary practices of the time, including the use of wooden coffins, vermilion, and grave goods such as iron swords and glass beads. The presence of a stone with swirling patterns, now an Important Cultural Property, highlights the ceremonial aspects of the site. Tatetsuki is crucial for understanding the transition to large-scale burial mounds in the region before the Kofun period.