From the Telegraph:Queen Himiko is a popular character in Japanese history. She was apparently able to wield great power in the Yamatai Kingdom from around the end of the second century. Legends handed down from the time describe her as "being skilled with magic".
Japanese revere her as a heroic Boadicea-type figure who unified the kingdom after years of fighting with rival tribes, before her death around 248AD.
The precise location of Yamatai has been one of the most bitterly disputed issues in Japanese archaeology, with some claiming the kingdom was in present-day Kyushu. The latest finding supports the claim of central Japan to the queen's lands.
From Asahi:The site of a third-century building found in the Makimuku ruins here has reignited debate over the location of Yamataikoku, a mysterious and powerful country once ruled by Queen Himiko.
The discovery, announced by the Sakurai city board of education Tuesday, has strengthened the theory that the Kinai area was home to Yamataikoku, a country described in "Gishi Wajin-den," part of the Chinese book "Sanguo zhi" (History of the Three Kingdoms) written by Chen Shou in the late third century.
Proponents of the theory say the building, estimated at 19.2 meters by 12.4 meters with a floor space of 238 square meters, could have been a central facility in Yamataikoku.
Asahi News also has a number of images.At Kyodo News - pictures
From the Asahi Shimbun:An ancient tomb, constructed in traditional keyhole style denoting someone of very high rank, may well be the final resting place of Himiko, the legendary third-century queen of the Yamatai kingdom, say archaeologists who relied on radiocarbon dating for their finding.
Artifacts from near the earthen mound in Sakurai, Nara Prefecture, were examined by researchers attached to the National Museum of Japanese History (Rekihaku) in Sakura, Chiba Prefecture.
Using radiocarbon dating, they studied clay fragments from the rim of the mound and found that they were made between 240 and 260. Himiko, according to Chinese records, died around 250.
They determined that the tomb very likely could have been built for Himiko.
The discovery will also likely ignite further debate on the location of the Yamatai kingdom, which some say was in Kyushu and others believe was centered around Nara, an ancient capital.
From the Telegraph:Researchers from the National Museum of Japanese History presented a paper to the 75th annual meeting of the Japanese Archaeological Association on Sunday, claiming that evidence points to a burial mound in the town of Sakurai, near the ancient capital of Nara in central Japan, as the tomb of Queen Himiko.
Archaeologists had previously claimed that the tomb, built in the traditional keyhole-shape design, was built in the fourth century and therefore too modern for Queen Himiko.
But a team led by Professor Hideki Harunari has discovered new clay artefacts close to the site, which radiocarbon dating indicates were made between 240AD and 260AD. According to records from the Chinese court, with which the Yamatai kingdom had links, Queen Himiko died around 250 AD.
"She is a very important part of Japanese history as she was the first queen, ruled for many years - although we do not know exactly how long - and has gone down in history as a very popular ruler," said Professor Harunari.
From Asahi:"Researchers say they have found evidence of what may be an early third-century palace that could have been part of the Yamatai kingdom ruled by Himiko, the legendary queen.The site is estimated to date from the late second century to early fourth century.Researchers also uncovered evidence of fortified barriers stretching 40 meters.It is the first time that such a sophisticated series of structures has been found from that period, said an official of the city education board."The site could have been the western end of an important place, such as a palace," said an expert.In 1978, researchers with the Kashihara Archaeological Institute in Kashihara, Nara Prefecture, discovered evidence of what appeared to have been a shrine measuring 5 meters by 5 meters, along with a 15-meter-long fortified barrier.Excavations from February by Sakurai city turned up three holes for pillars measuring about 15 centimeters in diameter about 5 meters east of the shrine-like building, as well as a 25-meter barrier which presumably consisted of wooden stakes.The evidence suggests a building of at least 6 meters in length stood from north to south.An examination of past discoveries suggests that pillar holes found 10 meters to the west of the shrine-like building may have been part of a separate structure that measured more than 2 meters by 5 meters.Hironobu Ishino, an archaeologist and director of the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Archaeology, said it may have been the site of a palace for Himiko."It is absolutely stunning to find three buildings dating from as early as the third century that were lined up straight," he said. "It is such a beautiful layout. I wonder if it reflects the influence of Chinese culture."If the site is really from the ancient Yamatai kingdom, then the remains might have been a palace of Himiko's."Kaoru Terasawa, an official at the Kashihara Archaeological Institute, agrees the site is very significant."The fact that it was surrounded by a complex array of barriers would mean the place was very special," he said. "The pillar holes found so far are too small for a central building, but I hope the extended excavation to the eastern area will turn up evidence of a larger building."Some experts say the Makimuku ruins, which lie 1.5 kilometers north to south and 2 km east to west, was the burial mound for Himiko, who is said to have died in 248."
