noun
magatama; comma-shaped bead
A comma-shaped bead from prehistoric Japan, often made of jade or other stone, and associated with archaeological sites and Shinto mythology.
この遺跡からは勾玉が多数出土した。
Many magatama beads were excavated from this archaeological site.
三種の神器の一つに勾玉がある。
One of the Three Sacred Treasures is the magatama.
Mixed kanji-kana spelling, sometimes used for clarity or in educational contexts.
The word まがたま is composed of まが (curved) and たま (ball, jewel). The exact origin is uncertain, but it refers to the characteristic comma-shaped beads from ancient Japan.