Japanese Kofun in Maps given by a Spaceborne Digital Elevation Model based on Multiple Satellite Data Sets

Here we stress the possibility to use maps from Spaceborne Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) to analyze the locations of Kofun, the ancient tombs in Japan. Some of these tombs have the form of very large tumuli. The DEM used is that proposed by Yamazaki, Ikeshima, Tawatari, Yamaguchi, O'Loughlin, Neal, Sampson, Kanae and Bates, in 2017, and implemented at the web site it-ch.topographic-map.com . On Kofun and their orientation, a large literature in Japanese exists: we will give references about related archaeoastronomical studies too. Details about the burial chambers in the kofun having a keyhole-shape are given. The presence of two burial chambers inside is giving a direction coherent with the long axis of the tumulus. We will also recommend the reading of detailed discussions (in Italian), that have been provided by G. Poncini in the Enciclopedia dell' Arte Antica  (1995) and M. Hudson about archaeology in Japan 2002. 

Contents: Introduction - Early Japan - La tomba dell’ Uji No Kami (in Italian) - Orientation of zenpōkōen kofun (first part) - DEM Maps
Orientation of zenpōkōen kofun (second part) - Due North - Due South - Keyholes in Arabia - Goshikizuka Kofun - Why two parts? - Princess Pimiko – Kofun Religion - Swords - Amaterasu (in Italian) -Yata no Kagami  - Ishikoridome no Mikoto -  Torifune (in Italian) – The waves - Kofun (G. Poncini, in Italian) - Tipo Coreano (in Italian) – Takamatsuzuka - I cinque elementi (in Italian) - Shitennō and the four directions – Three  periods (Britannica) - Late Kofun Period - Misemaruyama Kofun (見瀬丸山古墳) - Modifying the nature - 
Keyhole Tombs in Korea - Pits and corridors - Kofun (tumulus) (古墳) from www.japanese-wiki-corpus.org/ - Yŏngsan River basin keyhole-shaped tumuli - The entrance - Gunshufun Tumuli and Kinship in Late kofun era - Pit-dwelling-style stone lined chamber at the square end - Nintoku-tenno-ryo Kofun – Ancestors - A cluster - Archaeology in Japan (M. Hudson, in Italian) - Further discussions - Mirrors in Kurozuka Kofun - Nakayama Otsuka Kofun and others – Funeral rites - Satellite and LiDAR - Discussion on orientation - 
Hopewell culture - References