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Japan's largest mounded tomb may be larger than previously thought

Apr 13 (Kyodo) - Japan's largest ancient mound, Daisen Kofun, officially designated as the tomb of Emperor Nintoku, was at least about 40 meters larger when it was first constructed in the fifth century, Imperial Household Agency officials said Thursday.

The agency's survey of the water-filled moats surrounding the massive tomb in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, has revealed the mound was at least 525 meters in length, up from the current official measurement of 486 m.

The tomb is already known as one of the three largest in the world, together with the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor in China and the Great Pyramid of Khufu in Egypt.

The mound's triple moats are believed to have been empty or carried a lower level of water at the time it was built. An agency official said a base even larger may be buried under the sludge accumulated over some 1,600 years.

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