Currently on Display 8: Important Cultural Property "Monkey-Shaped Haniwa", Kofun Period, 6th Century, Tokyo National Museum

In this article, I will introduce the "Monkey-Shaped Haniwa" that you can currently see at the Tokyo National Museum 🐵

This animal haniwa was made during the 6th century of the Kofun period and is said to have been excavated from the Dainichizuka Kofun in Namegata City, Ibaraki Prefecture 👇

Unfortunately, this haniwa shaped like a monkey has not survived in a complete state 👇
Specifically, both arms and the lower body, including the legs and tail, have been lost.

On the other hand, the monkey's head, which is made relatively large, has remained in relatively good condition even after 1,500 years have passed 👇
Its head is round, and a face shaped like a gentle triangle is formed on the lower part.

The face is painted red, just like a real monkey 👇
Because of this naturalistic and striking color, the viewer's gaze is drawn to the long face of the statue.

Below the protruding brow area on the upper part of the face, the eyes are expressed as horizontally long oval holes.
A nose runs vertically from between the eyes. The area below the nose also extends long.
Furthermore, the mouth is carved horizontally and long.

Next, let's move to the back side 👇
The back is modeled to have a certain surface area, but the motif that once existed here has also been lost.

In other words, we can confirm traces on the back of this monkey haniwa where something was previously attached but has since peeled off and disappeared 👇

It seems that a baby monkey was being carried on the back in the part where this something peeled off.
This is also imagined from the "Cylindrical Haniwa with Dogs and Monkeys" 👇.
The "Cylindrical Haniwa with Dogs and Monkeys" depicts a parent monkey fleeing to a high place with a baby monkey on its back, chased by dogs.
Like the parent monkey of this "Cylindrical Haniwa with Dogs and Monkeys", the "Monkey-Shaped Haniwa" featured this time

Furthermore, the "Monkey-Shaped Haniwa" takes the same pose as the parent monkey of the "Cylindrical Haniwa with Dogs and Monkeys" 👆 👇
In other words, it turns its head toward its right shoulder and faces sideways.
This is considered to be a figure looking back at or glancing at the baby monkey carried on its back.

Such a pose, which seems to care for a child, makes one feel the affection of a mother monkey for her child 👆
People in Japan during the Kofun period may have believed that animals also possessed human-like emotions.
In this way, the "Monkey-Shaped Haniwa" featured this time is a valuable example that well conveys the interest that ancient Japanese people had in animals 🐵

👇 I would appreciate it if you could also watch the related videos for this "Haniwa Exhibition".