KOFUN PERIOD (4TH-6TH CENTURY)

The magatama (lit. 'maga': bent, 'tama': precious stone or gem), originate in the Kofun period (4th-6th centuries) and their curved shape is understood to have represented animal teeth and claws. Magatama were used as both personal ornaments and highly-valued ceremonial objects - a source of spiritual power and good fortune. Women wore them as decorative arm and ankle bracelets, in their hair, or they could also be attached to sacred swords or bows, placed at temples, or used as funerary objects.

For a group of four jade magatama in the Tokyo National Museum listed as an Important Cultural Property, (listed as Organization Control Number J-37202), go to:
https://colbase.nich.go.jp/collectionItems/view/12f08f3c06a62af80737925634848303/99765