Himiko

The Hunt for Himiko Continues: Has Himiko’s Palace Been Found?

The search for the shaman queen Himiko and her kingdom Yamatai has long been one of the holy grails of Japanese archaeology but it seems that archaeologists are another step closer to pinpointing the exact location of her long-lost kingdom. Archaeologists working at the Makimuku archaeological site in Sakurai, Nara Prefecture, one of the possible locations of Yamatai’s ancient capital, have uncovered the ruins of a building that may have ... [Continue Reading]

09/02/2014 // 5 Comments

The Hunt for Himiko: Will Archaeologists Ever Excavate the Hashihaka Tomb?

In Tomb Raider 2013, Lara and the rest of the Endurance crew set out to look for the lost kingdom of Yamatai and its mysterious queen, Himiko, but, in reality, Japanese archaeologists have known the possible location of Himiko’s tomb for a few years now. Long-time readers of this blog may recall that a group of researchers were allowed access to the Hashihaka kofun burial mound earlier this year in the hope that they’d be able to ... [Continue Reading]

30/07/2013 // 11 Comments

News: 2nd Century Wooden Mask Unearthed in Nara, Japan

Archaeologists working at the Daifuku archaeological site (大福遺跡) in Sakurai (桜井), Nara Prefecture, Japan, have unearthed a fragment of a wooden mask thought to date back to the mid to late 2nd century. The mask is made of Japanese umbrella pine and bears a strong resemblance to a mask that was found at the Makimuku archaeological site (纒向遺跡) in 2007. Makimuku is a site under much scrutiny in Japan because it is considered a ... [Continue Reading]

05/06/2013 // 2 Comments

Have Archaeologists Discovered Himiko’s Tomb?

Queen Himiko (卑弥呼) and her kingdom, Yamatai (or Yamatai-koku) (邪馬台国), play a central role in Tomb Raider 2013. But did you know that in February 2013, a group of researchers were granted access to a burial mound in Sakurai (桜井), Nara Prefecture, Japan, which may be the final resting place of this mysterious queen? The location of Yamatai-koku is a subject of intense debate within Japanese archaeological circles. Some believe ... [Continue Reading]

11/03/2013 // 6 Comments