Among graves built during or before the Nara period that are currently recognized as imperial mausoleums, only a few (including mausoleums of Emperor Suiko, Emperor Temchi, Emperor Tenmu and Empress Jito) can be historically and archaeologically certified as such.
現在治定されている天皇陵のうち、奈良時代までの天皇陵については、歴史学的・考古学的に同意できるものは推古天皇陵、天智天皇陵、天武・持統天皇陵など数か所程度とされる。