埼玉県熊谷市上中条出土 埴輪 短甲の武人 - A clay statue of a man with a helmet on

Haniwa are terracotta figures made in ancient Japan during the Kofun period (3rd to 6th centuries). They were typically used as funerary objects, placed around tombs to protect and serve the deceased in the afterlife. Haniwa come in a variety of shapes and sizes, including human figures, animals and houses. They are important artefacts for understanding the religious and cultural practices of ancient Japan.