Mezurashizuka Kofun Mural Constellation?
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Leonardo Wolfe
Aug 8, 2026, 4:00:12 AM (12 days ago) Aug 8
to PMJS: Listserv
Dear members,
Perhaps I've been staring at the Mezurashizuka Kofun mural (image attached) for far too long, but whilst browsing an entirely unrelated book (https://codh.rois.ac.jp/iiif/iiif-curation-viewer/index.html?pages=200004148&pos=767&lang=en), a small, personal, theory about the mural's bottom markings has been bothering me. In short, the theory is that they depict the Southern Dipper (南斗六星, not to be confused with the Little Dipper).
Since most of my current research keeps leading me back to the Kaya/Gaya confederacy, Korean tombs seemed like a good place to start, and that's when I discovered the below news article on the topic.
https://www.khan.co.kr/article/201901040934001
Having also read some of Claudia Zancan's articles on the topic of Kyushu's decorated tombs, that particular aspect of the mural seems overlooked, and I can't find any other academic source proposing the theory. Despite this, it would seem to make some degree of sense given the suspected meaning of the mural.
Do other members think that it's plausible, or am I just seeing something that isn't there?
Kind regards,
Leonardo Wolfe
Perhaps I've been staring at the Mezurashizuka Kofun mural (image attached) for far too long, but whilst browsing an entirely unrelated book (https://codh.rois.ac.jp/iiif/iiif-curation-viewer/index.html?pages=200004148&pos=767&lang=en), a small, personal, theory about the mural's bottom markings has been bothering me. In short, the theory is that they depict the Southern Dipper (南斗六星, not to be confused with the Little Dipper).
Since most of my current research keeps leading me back to the Kaya/Gaya confederacy, Korean tombs seemed like a good place to start, and that's when I discovered the below news article on the topic.
https://www.khan.co.kr/article/201901040934001
Having also read some of Claudia Zancan's articles on the topic of Kyushu's decorated tombs, that particular aspect of the mural seems overlooked, and I can't find any other academic source proposing the theory. Despite this, it would seem to make some degree of sense given the suspected meaning of the mural.
Do other members think that it's plausible, or am I just seeing something that isn't there?
Kind regards,
Leonardo Wolfe
Leonardo Wolfe
Aug 10, 2026, 4:08:08 AM (10 days ago) Aug 10
to PMJS: Listserv
Apologies for replying so soon, but below is a key source for the Korean news article. Unlike the news article, it is also written in English.
Kind regards,
Leonardo Wolfe
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