Archaeologists working in Japan have unearthed a massively oversized sword at a 1,600-year-old burial site, leading researchers to believe the cumbersome weapon was buried with the deceased to ward off evil spirits in the au -of the. Measuring 2.3 meters (7.5 feet), the iron sword was discovered during an excavation at the Tomoio Maruyama burial mound, located west of Nara city. The sword is distinguished by its length and design. In addition to the exaggerated size, far too large to be used by even a burly individual to defend against an enemy, the sword is also designed with an undulating blade pattern, classified as “dakō” style.
The iron dakō sword discovered at the Tomio Maruyama burial mound in Nara, western Japan. Photo: Kashihara Archaeological Institute, Nara.
Other wavy-bladed weapons dating back to the 4th century have been found, but according to Riku Murase, a researcher at the Nara City Archaeological Research Center, this one is “twice as big as any other sword found so far.” ‘now’ in the country. Talk to living sciences, Who reported for the first time the discovery last month, Murase said: “I had doubted it was true for so long.” Stefan Maeder, an archaeologist who specializes in ancient swords, told the outlet that the large dakō is rare, adding “they are prestigious objects of high society” that served ceremonial purposes.
An x-ray image of the sword. Photo: Kashihara Archaeological Institute, Nara.
The famous Tomoio Maruyama burial mound yielded other impressive finds, including iron agricultural tools, utensils and copper vessels. Likely the final resting place of a member of the extended Yamato Imperial family, the burial chamber – which measures over 350 feet wide and 32 feet high – contained a coffin, but no human remains. There may be over 160,000 of these burial mounds, or “kofuns”, in Japan, although most are significantly smaller than this one in Nara. More trending stories: Banksy created his latest work of art in a dilapidated British seaside farmhouse, but immediately destroyed it A German learning to use a metal detector has discovered a treasure trove of buried Byzantine jewelry and silver coins The New York art world had high hopes for the Black Wall Street Gallery. Allegations against its founder soured those dreams New York’s “Hot Dog King” has held court in front of the Met Museum for years. Now fans are rallying to stop the city from ejecting him Sotheby’s Surrealism sale falls short of expectations, understating $18 million with several prime works unsold In his upstate New York studio, Stefan Bondell paints day and night, fueled by light from the Hudson River and copious amounts of sugar We spoke to ‘angst-ridden’ Barcelonans who are fighting to prevent the completion of Gaudí’s famous Sagrada Familia “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed” is a really great artist documentary. Here’s what makes it work so well Who was Leonardo da Vinci’s mother, actually? A provocative new book suggests she was a Caucasian slave from Central Asia Kenny Schachter pays a mind-blowing visit to Beeple’s new high-tech art complex (running into plenty of trouble along the way)
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