Excavations in a previously undisturbed Kofun-period burial mound in Japan have yielded a massive 2.3-meter iron sword known as a dakoken. The sword, too large for actual combat, was likely a ritual object intended to protect the deceased from evil spirits in the afterlife.
Alongside the sword, archaeologists found bronze mirrors and Jasper beads, indicating the high status of the occupant. This find provides crucial data on early Japanese metalworking and the spiritual beliefs surrounding death during the Yamato era.