Kofun Artifacts

The artifacts recovered from burial mounds on Iki Island reflect the island's role as a trade and political intermediary during the sixth and seventh centuries. Among the standout pieces is a turtle-shaped gilt bronze saddle ornament from the Sasazuka kofun, similar to items found near the Yamato capital in present-day Nara, and a gilt bronze sword pommel decorated with a mythological phoenix from the Soroku kofun. Perhaps most telling are a painted ceramic cup from the Chinese state of Northern Qi and an ornate incense bowl from the Korean kingdom of Silla, suggesting Iki maintained its own trading relationships independent of the Yamato court.