Emily Chan
During World War II, a series of cellars in Germany was destroyed. From the wreckage, archaeologists unearthed a rare 17th-century Japanese short sword.
It was found while researchers from the Berlin State Office for Monument Preservation were excavating Molkenmarkt, a historic square in Berlin.
At first, the team thought the heavily corroded short sword, known as a wakizashi, was a military parade saber.
But after further analysis, they realized the weapon was from the Edo period in Japan, which lasted from 1603 to 1868.
According to the Museum of Prehistory and Early History of the Berlin State Museums, the weapon’s blade could be even older, possibly dating back to the 16th century. The sword may have been brought to Germany as part of a diplomatic mission in the 1800s.
“Who could have imagined that at a time when Japan was isolated and hardly any European travelers came to the country, such a long-used and richly decorated weapon would end up here in Berlin?” said Matthias Wemhoff, state archaeologist of Berlin and director of the Museum of Prehistory and Early History.
The archaeological team began conducting excavations in Molkenmarkt in the winter of 2022. The square is one of the oldest spaces in Berlin.
It was a trading hub as early as the 13th century. Before World War II, the area was filled with residential houses and commercial buildings. But several bombings reduced them to rubble. Now, all that’s left are the cellars.
The cellars contained numerous war-related artifacts, including bridles, stirrups, harnesses, and curbs.
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