National Treasures & Important Cultural Properties
of National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan

These hoe-shaped stone objects were excavated from the Tomio Maruyama Tumulus located in Maruyama, Owada-cho, Nara City. They are bracelet-like stone objects, believed to have evolved from univalve shell bracelets which were popular from the Yayoi period (ca. 400 B.C.-ca. A.D.250) to the early Kofun period. However, their original purpose was gradually forgotten, and they came to be valued as treasures in the early Kofun period (ca. 250-ca. 600). These two objects date to the middle of this transition period. The stone is brown and soft.