Inariyama sword

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Inariyama sword
Inariyama sword.JPG
Inariyama sword in the Prefecture Museum of the Sakitama Historic Site, Saitama
Information
Weapon type: sword
Designations: Inariyama Tekken, Inariyama Kofun Shutsudo Tekken, Kinsakumei Tekken
Use: Ceremonial sword
Creation time: Middle of the 5th century AD
Region of origin /
author: 		China?
Distribution: Japan, unique piece
Overall length: 73.5 cm
Handle: metal
Particularities: Inlay: 115 characters made of gold
Lists on the subject

The inariyama sword ( jap. 稲荷山鉄剣 , Inariyama tekken , more precisely 稲荷山古墳出土鉄剣 , Inariyama kofun shutsudo tekken , German "iron sword of Inariyama Hill grave excavation" or in general also. 金錯銘鉄剣 , Kinsakumei Tekken , German "iron sword with inlaid gold inscription") is a long iron sword that was excavated in 1968 in the Inariyama barrow ( Kofun ) of the Sakitama Kofu group in Saitama prefecture .

In 1978, an X-ray examination revealed 115 gold characters inlaid on both sides of the blade. The sword was declared a national treasure (Category: Archaeological Materials ) in 1983 along with other grave goods . It is now owned by the " Sakitama Prefecture Museum , Saitama " ( Museum of The Sakitama Ancient Burial Mounds ), where it is exhibited in a glass case under a nitrogen atmosphere. The blade of the sword is 73.5 cm long.

Inscriptions

The inscriptions, which consist of 115 characters, are inlaid with gold on both sides of the blade. They are of great importance as historical sources for ancient Japan. On the one hand, they enable the verification of dates; on the other hand, these inscriptions are also the earliest written documents in Japan. The inscriptions on the sword are as follows:

Front:

「辛亥 年 七月 中 記 乎 獲 居 臣 上 祖 名 意 富 比 垝 其 児 多加利 足 尼 其 児 名 名 弖 已 加利 獲 居 其 其 児 名 多加 披 次 獲 居 其 児 名 多 沙 鬼 獲 居 、其 児 名 半 弖 比 」

" 辛亥の年七月中,其の児, (名は)タカリのスクネ.其の児,名はテヨカリワケ.其の児記す.ヲワケの臣.上祖,名はオホヒコ.,名はタカヒ(ハ） シ ワ ケ。 其 の 児 、 名 は タ サ キ ワ ケ。 其 の 児 、 名 は ハ テ ヒ. "

“[I,] Wowake-no- omi , recorded [this inscription] in the seventh month of the year Kanotoi / Shingai [AD 471]. My ancestor's name was Ōhiko. His son was Takari-no- sukune . His son was Teyokari- wake . His son's name was Takahishi- wake . His son was Tasaki- wake . His son's name was Hatehi. "

Back:

「其 児 名 加 差 披 余 其 児 名 乎 獲 居 臣 世 々 爲 杖 刀 人 首 奉事 來 至今 獲 獲 支 支 鹵 大王 寺 在 斯 鬼 宮 時 吾 左 治 天下 令 作 此 百 練 利刀 記 吾奉事 根 原 也 」

„ 其 の 児 、 名 は カ サ ヒ （ハ） ヨ。 其 の 児 、 名 は ヲ ヲ ワ の の 臣。 世 々 、 杖 刀 人 の 首 と 為 り 、 奉事 し し り 今 に 至 （キ。 ワ ワ ケ 至 キ。 ワ ワ 至 キ。 ワ ワ） の 大王 の 寺 、 シ キ の 宮 に 在 る 時 、 吾 、 天下 を 左 治 し 、 此 の 百 百 練 の 利刀 を 作 ら し め 、 吾 が 奉事 の 根 原 を 記 す 也. "

“His son was called Kasahiyo. I am his son, Wowake-no- omi . From generation to generation, my family has served as the leader of the sword-bearers of the great kings to this day. When the court of the Great King Wakatakeru was staying in the palace of Shiki, I helped [him] to rule and had this hardened, very sharp sword made over and over again, which marks the origin of my service. "

The time specification Kanotoi or Shingai is equated with the year 471 AD according to the 60-year cycle . Another explanation equates the year 531 AD with the statement. In connection with the inscription on the Eta-Funayama sword that in the Kumamoto Prefecture was excavated, it is believed that this is the Great King Wakatakeru to Ōhatsuse-wakatakeru-no-mikoto is. This name mentioned in the Nihongi is a variant of the name for Tennō Yūryaku .

literature

Web links

  • 国宝 展示 室 . Museum of The Sakitama Ancient Burial Mounds,accessed September 14, 2013(Japanese, With illustrations of the sword and other finds that have been declared a national treasure.).

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Naohiro Toyoshima: K.244 double-edged iron long sword with inlaid characters made of gold , in: Zeit der Morgenröte. Volume 1, catalog volume, 2004, p. 239
  2. ↑ Nihongi , fascicle 14, translation according to WG Aston: Nihongi. Chronicles of Japan, from the Earliest Times to AD 697 . London 1896, p. 333 (English, archive.org ).