All this happened, more or less

This artefact story is somewhat different to the others I have presented. Rather than talking about artefact significance in reference to the period of their creation I will, rather, focus more on the modern significance of these objects. This is the story of how artefacts captured the popular imagination and were imported into popular culture.

 

The haniwa are Japanese clay figurines dating from the Kofun Period (AD 300-600). Taking the forms of people, animals or buildings, they are often found on or near burial sites. The haniwa’s purpose has been debated by archaeologists. Theories suggest they may have been places for souls to take residence, companions and protectors of the dead or boundary markers for burial sites.

 

There are examples of haniwa that are detailed, dressed in decorative outfits; the two haniwa I have chosen  do not fall into this category. Heavily stylised yet simplistic in design, these elongated figures are the ‘dancing people’, uncovered in Nohara. Despite their plain appearance, the dancing people are championed as the finest of the haniwa, representing ‘pure art’, in the words of Time Magazine. When visiting the National Museum of Tokyo I found myself instantly drawn to look into their gasping expression. However, I am not the only person hypnotised by the dancers. They have, in fact, sparked the imagination of the Japanese nation. 

 

The first place that you will find the dancing people’s influence, outside of their display case, is around the entirety of the museum. They gesture on signs for directions and are available on a multitude of souvenirs in the giftshop. Leaving the museum, the dancers can be found as ecstatic mascots for Japanese heritage, plastered on massive cardboard cutouts and worn as gigantic plush costumes, whose inhabitants sway drunkenly around the courtyard. 

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Haniwa Mascot alongside two other mascots for Japanese Museums

 

 

 

During the 1990s, Nintendo’s artistic developers found inspiration in the haniwa and included them as interactive characters for their titles Kirby and Dragon Quest, both of which were popular around the world. Nintendo eventually expanded the haniwa’s presence on their video game platforms. Foremost of which is the hugely successful Animal Crossing franchise, where they were renamed ‘Gyroids’ for western audiences. In the game the Gyroids, closely resembling the dancing people, were styled as singing, decorative objects that could be excavated and collected by players. More notably, one of the most popular and recognisable characters of Animal Crossing was Lloid, a helpful Gyroid and exact copy of the dancing people. It is unmistakable that the humble figures have charmed visitors, so much that they have come to stand as a mascot for heritage within popular culture.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

 

 

Lloid from Animal Crossing 

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​