User:Immanuelle/Kofun cluster
A Kofun cluster is a cluster of Kofun[1]
A kofun rarely exists alone; usually, several or even dozens form a cluster known as a "kofun group." In some cases, these groups consist of hundreds of kofun. Notable kofun groups include the Mozu and Furuichi kofun groups in Osaka Prefecture, the Yamato, Makimuku, Saki Tatenashi, and Mami kofun groups in Nara Prefecture, the Iwase Senzuka kofun group in Wakayama Prefecture, and the Saitobaru kofun group in Miyazaki Prefecture.
When a kofun exists alone, separated from other kofun, it may be referred to as a "solitary tomb." Additionally, within a kofun group, a kofun that stands out in size or structure may be called a "leader's tomb," but these terms are used in an informal manner.
The formation of a kofun group reflects the historical background and various aspects of the Kofun period in that region. Some groups consist solely of round mounds empun), while others include several keyhole-shaped mounds zenpo-koenfun). There are groups composed only of middle-period kofun, as well as those continuously used from the early to late Kofun period. These characteristics directly indicate the local conditions, lineage, and rise and fall of the clans buried there, as well as the nature of their authority. Furthermore, small round mounds densely packed together within a small area, particularly common in the late Kofun period, are referred to as "cluster tombs" within kofun groups.