Artifacts linked to largest imperial tomb discovered

Asahi Shimbun

20-06-2025

A knife believed to be from the Daisen burial mound in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, the largest ancient tomb in Japan (Kazushige Kobayashi)
SAKAI, Osaka Prefecture—In a potentially groundbreaking discovery, a recovered knife and armor fragments have been identified as burial items taken from Japan's largest ancient tomb here—making them the only physical artifacts currently available from that site.
The artifacts were obtained by the Kokugakuin University Museum from an art dealer a year ago, the museum announced on June 19.
These items are thought to have been taken from the Daisen 'kofun' burial mound during an excavation in the late 19th century, and may have been hidden away in private collections since.
Records from the time indicate that a number of items—including armor, helmets, glassware and swords—were unearthed from the site, documented via illustration and then reburied.
Until now, no physical burial artifacts from the UNESCO World Heritage site have been accessible, only the illustrated records.
'The discovery of physical artifacts, not just illustrations, holds immense historical value and could open the door to further investigation of the site,' said Masashi Tokuda, a visiting professor of archaeology at Kansai University and a former official of the Imperial Household Agency.
The small knife measures 10.5 centimeters and is broken in two. It is encased in a wooden sheath adorned with a gold-plated copper fitting.
The elaborate design is unlike any other findings, domestic or foreign, from the fifth century, when the massive keyhole-shaped tomb was built.
Other recovered items include fragments of armor constructed from iron overlaid with gilt bronze plates.
The artifacts were wrapped in paper stamped with the seal of Kaichiro Kashiwagi, the illustrator who documented the original 1872 excavation.
The recently discovered knife does not appear in any known drawings by Kashiwagi, suggesting that he may have privately retained some of the excavated items.
The moated wooden burial mound has traditionally been attributed to Emperor Nintoku. Despite its prominence and potential historical significance, access to the site has been restricted by the Imperial Household Agency.
Although some items believed to have originated from the tomb are held by the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, recent studies suggest those may be misdated or not directly linked to the tomb.
The newly identified artifacts will be on public display at the Sakai City Museum from July 19 to Sept. 7.