With entry into the middle part of the Yayoi Period, a more evolved from of the magatama is first made, the so-called "classical magatama", which was a more refined form than the crude forms of early magatama including zoomorphic magatama and ojimegata (a kind of fastener shape) magatama that had been made through the early part of the Yayoi Period, and from around the Kofun Period, possession of a magatama was considered to be a mark of prestige.
弥生時代中期に入ると、前期までの獣形勾玉、緒締形勾玉から洗練された定形勾玉と呼ばれる勾玉が作られ始め、古墳時代ごろから威信財とされるようになった。