About "haniwa"

Clay figure of a Japanese war helmet(excavated from the Itasuke Tumulus)
MYSTERY OF THE BURIAL MOUND

In the outer potion of the burial mound you have discovered a countless number of odd-looking clay figures (or "haniwa") all lined up in a row.
These strange objects number in excess of 14,000 pieces.
What is the meaning of these objects?

In the Japanese Historical Journal it states:

"After Emperor Suinin witnessed the horrible sight of the Emperor's entourage being buried alive in the areas around the Emperor's tomb, he had this practice stopped and had clay images of people and horses instead lined up in the tomb, and this became the beginning of the practice of using clay figures, or "haniwa".

However, currently it is said that:

• The clay figures are replicas of decorations and vessels used for the altars in front of the tombs.
• The slopes of the burial mounds cave in easily, and therefore clay cylinders, or "haniwa" were lined up together with stone buttresses, or "fukiishi", in order to strengthen the slope.

There are other such interpretations.