Standing Female

Maker: Unknown

6th century c.e.

Asian Art

Haniwa (ring of clay) statues are unglazed earthenware sculptures that were made between the third and the sixth century C.E., primarily to protect grave mounds from erosion or to mark burial sites. Though they originally took the form of simple cylinders, by the fourth century haniwa also included human figures, animals, and occasionally architectural structures. This example includes a female figure sculpted on the top of the typical haniwa cylinder, which would be buried in the ground. She has two looped bows on her dress and one remaining earring on the left side of her head. The round clay pieces attached to her neckline appear to be remnants of a necklace, suggesting that she represents a shrine maiden known as a miko. Figures of such maidens were the most popular haniwa sculptures, due to the status of the maidens in Japan at that time.

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Kamini Purushothaman

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Kamini Purushothaman, TC ’26


This haniwa figurine dates to the sixth century, during Japan’s Kofun period. Made of red earthenware and standing 35 inches tall, this figure likely served symbolic purposes in funerary rituals. Haniwa are clay figures that were placed on or around Kofun burial mounds, evolving from simple cylinders into complex animal and human shapes. The term haniwa, which literally means "clay rings," reflects the method by which they were created—with bands of clay stacked atop each other, layer by layer.

This figure wears a tunic with two bows and has one remaining hoop earring on its left ear. Two round clay pieces near its neck and shoulder are remnants of a necklace. Its characteristic hairstyle and chest protrusions identify the figure as female. The haniwa’s facial features are minimal and tranquil, with only slits for the eyes and mouth. These facial features may have been intentionally designed to convey a serene, protective presence.

The figure’s right arm is raised, hand slightly clenched as if it once held an object; the left arm bends toward its stomach—likely representing a ceremonial dance. The lower half of the haniwa is a basic cylinder with a horizontal band that possibly marks the part of the figure buried in the ground. Above this band, a hole extends through each side of the haniwa, potentially for the insertion of a rope slung through a series of haniwa figures placed in a row. She may represent a miko, or shrine maiden—women thought to have held significant spiritual and political authority during the Kofun period. The figure’s clothing, accessories, and posture appear more intentionally rendered than any individualized facial detail.

What was this figure’s role during the Kofun period? Were these figures meant primarily for the deceased or also for the living community that saw them? Note the detailed clothing and accessories, contrasting simplistic facial features, and distorted proportions. This may suggest that her makers prioritized visibility from a distance—for mourners or onlookers—over naturalistic detail. Although they resist straightforward interpretation, haniwa figures also raise questions that might someday provide answers about Kofun-era society. 

Medium

Haniwa: reddish earthenware

Dimensions

35 × 10 1/2 × 8 in. (88.9 × 26.7 × 20.3 cm)
base: 7/8 × 11 1/4 × 8 1/2 in. (2.2 × 28.5 × 21.6 cm)

Credit Line

Gift of Rosemarie and Leighton R. Longhi, B.A. 1967

Accession Number

2009.206.2

Geography
Culture
Period

Kofun period (ca. 300–ca. 710 C.E.)

Classification
Disclaimer

Note: This electronic record was created from historic documentation that does not necessarily reflect the Yale University Art Gallery’s complete or current knowledge about the object. Review and updating of records is ongoing.

Provenance

Provenance

Leighton R. Longhi and Rosemarie Longhi, New York; given to the Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, Conn., 2009
Object copyright

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