The Protection and Utilization of Wall Paintings of Ancient Tumuli in Japan

Abstract

AbstractThis paper outlines events from the discovery of the wall paintings of the Takamatsuzuka and Kitora tumuli to their current conservation and management. It also describes the prospects for their conservation and utilization in the future. The brilliantly colored wall paintings of the Takamatsuzuka Tumulus were discovered in 1972. The discovery spurred a booming interest in ancient history and archaeology that continues to this day. During the process of conservation and management that followed the discovery, the wall paintings were found to be damaged. Therefore, the stone chamber was disassembled to allow for fundamental conservation work to be carried out and the wall paintings are now being preserved in a conservation facility. The Kitora Tumulus entered the spotlight in 1983 when wall paintings were discovered during an investigation of the stone chamber using fiberscopes. The wall paintings were removed from the stone chamber and, after 12 years of conservation work, they were put on display in 2016. The paper also describes the state of damage to decorated tumuli caused by large-scale disasters such as the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 or the Kumamoto earthquakes of 2018.KeywordsTakamatsuzuka TumulusKitora TumulusWall paintingPlasterConservation and utilization