Archaeologists Find ‘Richly Decorated’ Japanese Weapon Among World War II Debris

A “richly decorated” weapon from Edo-era Japan was found amid the rubble of a basement damaged during World War II in Germany, according to a statement from the Museum of Prehistory and Early History of the Berlin State Museums and a report by Live Science.

Archaeologists unearthed the sword during an excavation in the Molkenmarkt, Berlin’s largest square. At first, they believed it was a military sword, but upon closer examination, they concluded it was a wakizashi from the Edo period (1603-1868). The museum added that the sword itself could be even older, dating back to the 16th century. Scientists believe the sword was brought to Germany as part of a diplomatic mission in the 1800s.

“Who would have guessed that such a long-lasting and richly decorated weapon would be found in Berlin, at a time when Japan was isolated and hardly any European travelers came to the country?” wondered the museum's director, Matthias Wemhoff.

The sword was discovered in the winter of 2022 by archaeologists working with the Berlin State Monuments Office to excavate the basements of residential and commercial buildings on Molkenmarkt. The area was “turned into rubble” during the war and covered over with modernized streets and intersections in the 1960s.

In addition to the wakizashi, archaeologists have unearthed numerous artifacts from the end of the war, including discarded reins, stirrups, bridles, and horse harnesses, but the sword stands out as a particularly luxurious and rare find.

Wakizashi were also known as “backup swords”. They were carried and worn at all times by samurai as an additional weapon when they had to fight in a small room or at close range to their target, which would restrict them from using a larger katana.

In the nearly two years since its discovery, scientists have meticulously restored the sword. Their efforts have determined that the sword “was once reserved for dignitaries as a status weapon,” Wemhoff said.

Wemhoff isn’t sure exactly how the weapon made its way to Germany, but he has a few theories. “Perhaps the sword was a gift from the Takenouchi Mission of 1862, or from the Iwakura Mission of Japanese envoys who came eleven years later, visiting Europe and the rest of the Western world to establish contacts and gather impressions,” he suggested. “Its spatial proximity to the aristocratic palaces around the Molkenmarkt and the Berlin Palace suggests this.”