Forntida japaners upplevelser - en oskriven historia : En strukturalistisk analys av haniwa-figurer under kofun-perioden

Sammanfattning: This study aims to examine how society before the introduction of Buddhism looked like on a social, cultural and metaphysical level. The usage of haniwa figures makes way for a closer inspection on the people that created the haniwa figures. The archaeological source material is divided in four categories, where three of the figures appear in each category. The goal is to reach an insight on the essence of the human experience and its operating in a societal and historical context. To reach this goal, this study will be working with three questions: What views on life, death and the world could the people have had during the Kofun period based on what the haniwa portray? In what ways does the social structure reflect in the haniwa? To what extent were individuals capable of making imprints on haniwa inside the social structure? The conclusion of this study shows from the gathered information and analysis what can be said about spiritual and collective thoughts of the ancient Japanese. From the analysis it is apparent for example, that there is a possible connection to the sun goddess Amaterasu based on the dotted pattern of a high-ranking elite because of their mythological lineage to the divine, supreme creature.