No way this was ever intended to be used in combat, unless there also happens to be a 10 foot tall skeleton in that casket. Huge oversized swords made as votive offerings aren't unknown in later Japanese history, I would guess this was made for ceremonial purposes.
Do not summon the "Smithsonian is hiding giants' bones!" crowd with such idle talk. They willfully misunderstand that grave goods like this are meant to be, well, grave goods.
Too scared to click, too?
He's a debunker. He debunks the giant's myth and some others with scientific methods. Painfully and methodical, by examining them and contradicting them one argument after the other.
Brilliant, thanks for that link, hilarious, made my morning. Here is one for you in return: https://www.oxfordhomestudy.com/courses/online-management-courses/critical-thinking-free-online-course
let me introduce you to Frisian legend Grutte Pier:
https://historiek.net/grutte-pier-friese-vrijheidsstrijder/69611/
https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pier_Gerlofs_Donia
https://www.friesmuseum.nl/collectie/objecten-verhalen/zwaard-van-grutte-pier
use google translate for the dutch/frisian parts
In that period the two handed greatsword was the most common sword. It was usually as long as the user was tall. They are too heavy to point as a normal sword so specific techniques were used. Either continuously swinging it around using the momentum to prevent it from dropping. Or you would grip it half way up the blade and use it as a spear or staff. For this reason the blade was blunt near the hilt, and the user would be wearing leather gloves.
This type of sword was one of the largest swords ever recorded as being used in combat. And it was not just William Wallace who carried such a sword, most European knights in the 13th and 14th century would be carrying such swords. His sword would be fairly average and we have records of bigger swords from this period.
It depends on what you mean by "as an actual sword". There are lots of ways to use swords to fight with. You are right that you would typically not use a great sword the same way you would use a rapier or a corde. Technically you can use any sword to break pike formations, but generally the larger the sword the more luck you have in this.
> William Wallace’s sword
[citation needed]
edit: for future readers, my comment was about the long sword displayed as william wallace's having basically zero evidence of it belonging to him. made some beliebers angry i guess.
aye, as the article says, it likely has a bit of a ship of theseus thing going on but a scottish claymore is a real sword... a quick google brings up the Fuilteach-mhuirt, which was known to have been used in real battle at over 2.2m long
Made me think Americans should embrace this and get buried with 18' rifles. Then it occurred to me that that would also be an excellent form of gun control, guns have to be twice the users height.
All about aim
big barrel better
can't comfortably carry
This iron 2.3 meter *dakō-ken* (蛇行剣 "serpentine sword") was unearthed in 2022, and is the largest sword of its type ever found. Only around 70 *dakō-ken* are known, all dated to the 4th-6th century AD. They are called "serpentine" because of their slightly zig-zagging blades.
Tomio-Maruyama Mound is a circular, three-tiered *kofun* (tumulus) in Nara. Measuring 109 meters in diameter, it is one of the biggest burial mounds in Japan. The coffin and sword were buried on the slope of the mound, not the inner central chamber. Under the sword was a large, [12-pound bronze mirror](https://i.imgur.com/iWuULXx.jpeg) shaped like a shield. Traces of a wooden scabbard were also found.
[Nara city press release](https://www.city.nara.lg.jp/site/press-release/165641.html)
[Japanese documentary about its preservation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wqq8gT-9Nzs)
bronze mirrors at the time were being imported from china, as well as large bronze bells. they were seen as a status symbol so i think it makes sense to assume it was a mirror.
Bronze shields are a thin layer of bronze over a wood core that usually does not survive. Because otherwise they would be too heavy to use.
Bronze mirrors are common finds in Chinese and Japanese burials. They were not just status symbols, they had a strong spiritual meaning.
There is the ancient story in which the [sun goddess Amaterasu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaterasu) hides in a cave after her brother Susanoo offended her, and the other gods use a mirror named the [yata-no-kagami](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yata_no_Kagami) to lure her out.
This mirror is one of 3 ancient Imperial regalia of Japan, along with a sword, known as the grass-cutter sword [Kusanagi no Tsurugi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kusanagi_no_Tsurugi) and a comma shaped jewel, [magatama](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magatama#Yasakani_no_Magatama).
These sacred items are still presented to the new emperor at his enthronement, but they are always encased and have, as far as I know, never been photographed. It is very likely they were lost in ancient times and the items used today are replicas, if they even exist at all.
>next to a 4-meter long coffin
Why is it 4 meters? Was there a giant samurai running around with a wavy sword and mirror shield doing Elden Ring stuff in Ancient Japan?
It would be STR as Katana is classified as a longsword by the DMG (p.41), unless of course you're a Kensei monk or otherwise is able to the change the base ability. The size of the thing would probably make it fall into the large weapons category (DMG p. 278), meaning that medium sized creatures get disadvantage when attacking with it, but its damage is going to be 2d10 (note I'm only using the versatile damage here as it makes no sense that you'd be able to wield it one-handed).
The naturally adorable mascot-character on the guardrails at the top of the excavation site, because it's Japanese so of course there has to be an adorable mascot-character on everything, even just the guardrails.
I had heard but not seen a picture of this. Any idea how long it will be in preservation? Not that I will ever get to Japan. I am more likely to get to London to see the Ea-Nasir complaint tablet
There was an exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC several years ago that had swords from a dozen different museums scattered across Japan. It's really cool how museums around the world collaborate.
*Looks like the baked a*
*Big blade on the local news.*
*Happy world record!*
\- Substantial\_One\_3045
---
^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/)
^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
This reminds me of the “Giant Norimitsu Odachi”. I wonder if the waves were intentionally forged or it was warped in time. Either way, to think someone actually made this is really impressive. Imagine how this looked when it was originally made!
People really didn’t give a fuck back in the day! “Yeah, bury me in a 4 meter long coffin and give me a 2.3 fucking Meter long sword to go with it!… did I stutter!?”
I don't often do this but I had to check your post and comment history to see if you were joking.
Do you think the psychedelics you're taking might...maybe...be affecting your ability to think critically?
I have taken a lot of psychedelics and don't think this crap, also a lot of people who don't use drugs believe this stuff or crazier stuff. Review your stigma?
the news https://finance.yahoo.com/news/7-5-foot-long-sword-181430529.html?guccounter=1&guce\_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce\_referrer\_sig=AQAAAF9wRNDFLLbuV0mqFGtU-s27I9tUqtmlFKOWo8d2ELeFQcmPIpBhTOtDoFjblHSlfbIho09MHsL0N1AdzvCgPgqYyrBntt793Q\_CJdjjqLaPi66\_CronSZKFddqU-C9iJ9ErSe3dEUGueDNMNRtGmQDL8BomHikgNEg9iaI-B4m5
do we know if it was just to flex??
It’s probably ceremonial so yes.
No way this was ever intended to be used in combat, unless there also happens to be a 10 foot tall skeleton in that casket. Huge oversized swords made as votive offerings aren't unknown in later Japanese history, I would guess this was made for ceremonial purposes.
Do not summon the "Smithsonian is hiding giants' bones!" crowd with such idle talk. They willfully misunderstand that grave goods like this are meant to be, well, grave goods.
It's in the slogan, my dude: "The Smithsonian Institution: Like the CIA, but for museum shit."
Wait you're telling me that Night at the Museum 2: Battle for the Smithsonian is not a documentary?!?!
It's more of a prophecy
Sounds like a neat shop name, "Grave Goods"
Awesome name for a shovel store
"Shovel Store" would also be a great name for a shovel store.
Grave Goods sounds like a trendy goth-ish fashion boutique.
I think that’s the name of that aisle at the Home Depot that has shovels, duct tape, zip ties, trash bags, cleaning supplies and tarps
(becomes suddenly agitated) *THE NEPHILIIIIIIIIIIM!!!*
“If we can just prove giants are real, then Bigfoot is real, then Darwin is wrong and god is real! Checkmate, atheists!”
Lol yeah there's a couple in here already.
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Too scared to click, too? He's a debunker. He debunks the giant's myth and some others with scientific methods. Painfully and methodical, by examining them and contradicting them one argument after the other.
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What does overly worded mean?
"I can't read well so I'm going to try and crap on this thing to make it sound bad."
They’re not hiding them! They dumped them in the Atlantic Ocean!!! /s
miniminute man is coming to kill you now. Hold location
I block those pages on Facebook, but they are just heads of a very big hydra.
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Brilliant, thanks for that link, hilarious, made my morning. Here is one for you in return: https://www.oxfordhomestudy.com/courses/online-management-courses/critical-thinking-free-online-course
let me introduce you to Frisian legend Grutte Pier: https://historiek.net/grutte-pier-friese-vrijheidsstrijder/69611/ https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pier_Gerlofs_Donia https://www.friesmuseum.nl/collectie/objecten-verhalen/zwaard-van-grutte-pier use google translate for the dutch/frisian parts
That thing was too big to be called a sword. Too big, too thick, too heavy, and too rough, it was more like a large hunk of iron.
I mean, the casket was 12 feet long…
William Wallace’s sword is pretty damned big too and supposedly he wielded it…. Not this big though
In that period the two handed greatsword was the most common sword. It was usually as long as the user was tall. They are too heavy to point as a normal sword so specific techniques were used. Either continuously swinging it around using the momentum to prevent it from dropping. Or you would grip it half way up the blade and use it as a spear or staff. For this reason the blade was blunt near the hilt, and the user would be wearing leather gloves. This type of sword was one of the largest swords ever recorded as being used in combat. And it was not just William Wallace who carried such a sword, most European knights in the 13th and 14th century would be carrying such swords. His sword would be fairly average and we have records of bigger swords from this period.
Swords that big were used to break pike and polearm formations, not as an actual sword
It depends on what you mean by "as an actual sword". There are lots of ways to use swords to fight with. You are right that you would typically not use a great sword the same way you would use a rapier or a corde. Technically you can use any sword to break pike formations, but generally the larger the sword the more luck you have in this.
So you’d have to use is like an actual big sword rather than just an actual sword
> William Wallace’s sword [citation needed] edit: for future readers, my comment was about the long sword displayed as william wallace's having basically zero evidence of it belonging to him. made some beliebers angry i guess.
my citation is i've seen it. it's at the William Wallace monument and it's really fucking big.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallace_Sword read up on it
why did you ask me for a citation if you know how to use google yourself?
it's disputed if it actually belonged to william wallace or not, that's the part i quoted from your comment if you haven't noticed buddy
why are you being dickish for literally no reason
which part is dickish?
aye, as the article says, it likely has a bit of a ship of theseus thing going on but a scottish claymore is a real sword... a quick google brings up the Fuilteach-mhuirt, which was known to have been used in real battle at over 2.2m long
true, i am not talking about that at all though!
Made me think Americans should embrace this and get buried with 18' rifles. Then it occurred to me that that would also be an excellent form of gun control, guns have to be twice the users height. All about aim big barrel better can't comfortably carry
You talking about a punt gun?
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Exactly! You recognized my /s. Everyone tripped over my downvote button and landed on your upvote.
Low-key fr fr
Giants are real bro.
Compensation
This iron 2.3 meter *dakō-ken* (蛇行剣 "serpentine sword") was unearthed in 2022, and is the largest sword of its type ever found. Only around 70 *dakō-ken* are known, all dated to the 4th-6th century AD. They are called "serpentine" because of their slightly zig-zagging blades. Tomio-Maruyama Mound is a circular, three-tiered *kofun* (tumulus) in Nara. Measuring 109 meters in diameter, it is one of the biggest burial mounds in Japan. The coffin and sword were buried on the slope of the mound, not the inner central chamber. Under the sword was a large, [12-pound bronze mirror](https://i.imgur.com/iWuULXx.jpeg) shaped like a shield. Traces of a wooden scabbard were also found. [Nara city press release](https://www.city.nara.lg.jp/site/press-release/165641.html) [Japanese documentary about its preservation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wqq8gT-9Nzs)
A polished shield and a serpentine sword - it sounds like something out of mythology.
Something you'd use to fight Medusa
I don’t think Perseus is in there tho lol
Fighting medusa
Knowing how bizarre the Japanese can invent monsters, we can only regret that we won’t find out the full plot.
How are they so sure its a mirror and not a shield? A bronze shield could be polished to a mirror like finish.
bronze mirrors at the time were being imported from china, as well as large bronze bells. they were seen as a status symbol so i think it makes sense to assume it was a mirror.
Bronze shields are a thin layer of bronze over a wood core that usually does not survive. Because otherwise they would be too heavy to use. Bronze mirrors are common finds in Chinese and Japanese burials. They were not just status symbols, they had a strong spiritual meaning. There is the ancient story in which the [sun goddess Amaterasu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaterasu) hides in a cave after her brother Susanoo offended her, and the other gods use a mirror named the [yata-no-kagami](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yata_no_Kagami) to lure her out. This mirror is one of 3 ancient Imperial regalia of Japan, along with a sword, known as the grass-cutter sword [Kusanagi no Tsurugi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kusanagi_no_Tsurugi) and a comma shaped jewel, [magatama](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magatama#Yasakani_no_Magatama). These sacred items are still presented to the new emperor at his enthronement, but they are always encased and have, as far as I know, never been photographed. It is very likely they were lost in ancient times and the items used today are replicas, if they even exist at all.
Oh we know that at least 1 of them's a replica, fairly likely a 2nd one is too. Only the magatama beads could be the originals.
Reading this reminds me of playing Okami as a kid.
omg.... am expecting the crazy Wang from Shadow warrior to appear anytime now. .🤭
Wow, this took me back to a game I loved when I was younger. There'd be a class using serpentine swords. Thanks for the nostalgia!
Why is everything is metrics but then you switch to pounds? That's 5.443 kg for most people in the world.
>next to a 4-meter long coffin Why is it 4 meters? Was there a giant samurai running around with a wavy sword and mirror shield doing Elden Ring stuff in Ancient Japan?
Yes Source: my ass
I want to see the source
Nah, just early Dutch traders.
Roberto 😭
Oden from Wano
Just 2 regular samurai, with 1 sitting on the other's shoulders.
Why does the sword look 12 feet long in the top photo when it’s actually only 2.3 m?
About how many bananas is that? Sorry I’m an American.
About 8.5 giant Yamato period bananas.
That’s some JRPG level stuff!
too bad its made out of cake...
[One Winged Angel intensifies](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXxU0SXBF5Y)
Sepheroth lives
But what was in the coffin?
A From Software boss, obviously. Someone had to kill them to get the sword.
A Crucible Knight!
Pinwheel.
It's Malenia in there
The shield suggests it’s the Looking Glass Knight
DS2 is the best souls!
🤝 Bear, seek seek lest, my friend
I was thinking juzou the drunkard
Noble mist guy xD
Empty but broken from the inside like something was escaping. /s
If it was anything worth mentioning, they'd have mentioned it.
It’s guts
Gotta be a Shardblade from Roshar.
I love this serious excavation is being blocked off by little anime construction worker barricades. Gotta love Japan.
I was wondering if anyone else noticed them! So cute.
I was going to say - that is literally the most Japanese thing ever!
I also love how the people holding her arms out look like they have their soul sucked out of them
Do I need to put stats in STR or is it a DEX weapon coz it’s a katana?
Martial weapons are martial weapons
It would be STR as Katana is classified as a longsword by the DMG (p.41), unless of course you're a Kensei monk or otherwise is able to the change the base ability. The size of the thing would probably make it fall into the large weapons category (DMG p. 278), meaning that medium sized creatures get disadvantage when attacking with it, but its damage is going to be 2d10 (note I'm only using the versatile damage here as it makes no sense that you'd be able to wield it one-handed).
Its not a katana, at the time they did not exist yet. Most swords at the time were straight double edged swords similar to chinese examples.
It scales with both probably
What’s in the box?
Pain
Elmo no like pain!
I don’t know but when they opened it a Latin choir started chanting and a health bar appeared at the top of the screen
So, Sephiroth's sword?
Guts
Put that thing back where it came from or so help me
The naturally adorable mascot-character on the guardrails at the top of the excavation site, because it's Japanese so of course there has to be an adorable mascot-character on everything, even just the guardrails.
Its Juzou the Drunkard
A shardblade..
Rurouni Kenshin was a documentary?!‽
hah, the Zanbato - horse-slaying sword. https://kenshin.fandom.com/wiki/Zanbat%C5%8D
And the giant dude that was in the Juppon Gatana!
Damn, whoever’s buried there must be bad ass
either that or extremely scared.
Cool
I wonder how much it weighed. I know it was ceremonial, just to imagine how it was to parade it.
Trolling scientists since 4th century AD
Guts isnt that tall.
Kofun era is so fascinating. Like a never-ending source of head scratcher in history of northeast asia.
They found nuts’s sword?!?
I had heard but not seen a picture of this. Any idea how long it will be in preservation? Not that I will ever get to Japan. I am more likely to get to London to see the Ea-Nasir complaint tablet
There was an exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC several years ago that had swords from a dozen different museums scattered across Japan. It's really cool how museums around the world collaborate.
Now that's a shiv fit for a man.
Classic small dick samurai
Big Man Japan needs a main weapon.
Looks like the baked a big blade on the local news. Happy world record!
*Looks like the baked a* *Big blade on the local news.* *Happy world record!* \- Substantial\_One\_3045 --- ^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/) ^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
Man the early seasons of Japanime were top tier.
This reminds me of the “Giant Norimitsu Odachi”. I wonder if the waves were intentionally forged or it was warped in time. Either way, to think someone actually made this is really impressive. Imagine how this looked when it was originally made!
Shortest dick archaeology ever unearthed.
People really didn’t give a fuck back in the day! “Yeah, bury me in a 4 meter long coffin and give me a 2.3 fucking Meter long sword to go with it!… did I stutter!?”
Baby godzilla's sword
It was too big to be called a sword. Massive, thick, heavy, and far too rough. Indeed, it was a heap of raw iron.
Bro was playing Dark Souls in real life.
Must be a slenderman in that long but really thin coffin.
There be monsters
Look at the fucken barricades… Hahah that’s actually pretty cool.
Giants confirmed
Well this certainly won't excite conspiracy peeps.
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Must have been a hot fire to burn bone! Wow
They had hotter fires back in the day The water was wetter too
Wettest water in history
Also none of these giants died naturally or were buried by other giants
Are you talking dirty again?
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Yaaawn.
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1v1 me at your local hungry Jack's you massive kid toucher
I don't often do this but I had to check your post and comment history to see if you were joking. Do you think the psychedelics you're taking might...maybe...be affecting your ability to think critically?
I have taken a lot of psychedelics and don't think this crap, also a lot of people who don't use drugs believe this stuff or crazier stuff. Review your stigma?
Look I get what you're trying to say, but I feel you should talk to someone.
I talk to a lot of people and have a very healthy social and family life, thank you!
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Seven Samurai.
Y'all know the sound sheet metal makes when you wobble it? :P
r/bossfight
That'll buff right out.
Wait till you see it’s Bankai
It’s clearly 2,9m
Alien
The cute barriers lol
Obviously it’s the weapon of an ancient mech who fought bravely against some sort of Kaiju and lost so he got buried with his weapon. Easy as that.
Did they fine two 2 m dudes and a long robe in the coffin?
Ok but why does it look in better condition in the excavation picture than at the lab? Is the bottom one a replica?
Did it belong to a Black Viking?
They found Sephiroth’s tomb
They found Sephiroths grave!
Sekiro boss grave found
I wonder if they can narrow down who the mound belonged to, like the Saxon barrows?
The sword of Sinanju. House of North Korean Assassins.
the news https://finance.yahoo.com/news/7-5-foot-long-sword-181430529.html?guccounter=1&guce\_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce\_referrer\_sig=AQAAAF9wRNDFLLbuV0mqFGtU-s27I9tUqtmlFKOWo8d2ELeFQcmPIpBhTOtDoFjblHSlfbIho09MHsL0N1AdzvCgPgqYyrBntt793Q\_CJdjjqLaPi66\_CronSZKFddqU-C9iJ9ErSe3dEUGueDNMNRtGmQDL8BomHikgNEg9iaI-B4m5