Shibutani Mukoyama Tumulus (渋谷向山古墳)
The Shibutani Mukoyama tumulus is a keyhole-shaped tumulus located in Shibutani-cho, Tenri City, Nara Prefecture.
Summary
This tumulus is designated by The Imperial Household Agency as the mausoleum of Emperor Keiko (also called "Yamanobe no michi no e no Misasagi" [literally, a mausoleum along the Yamanobe road]). In the Edo period, this tumulus was considered as that of Emperor Sujin. This tumulus is considered having been constructed in the later half of the fourth century, slightly later than the Andonyama tumulus, now designated as the mausoleum of Emperor Suijin.
Investigations for this tumulus were made in 1996.
The size and shape
With a total length of 310m, the size of its front part is 170m in width and 23m in height and that of the back part 168m in diameter and 23m in height. With the main line in the east-west direction, its round part is structured in three steps, with each step level made in a precisely round shape, and the front part is also structured in three steps. The top of the round part is flat and round. The top of the front part is also flat and trapezoidal. The front part is not shaped in a plectrum. The width of the front part is almost the same as the diameter of the round part, with the ratio at 1: 1.1.
It is said that the surrounding moat is shield-shaped symmetrically, but it is not clear whether the moat retains the original shape.