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Source Description
For samurai, a sword was more than a weapon: it was an extension of the soul. Samurai usually carry two swords that form a set called daisho (meaning “big and small”), consisting of a katana (which means “long sword”) and wakizashi (which means “side arm”)—an example of each is displayed in this case. This long sword is decorated with numerous plover birds flying over waves. Plovers are usually depicted flying over high waves and braving strong winds, as they are symbols of strength and perseverance in Japanese art and culture.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
14780
label
Long Sword (katana) with Plovers Flying over Waves
core
obj
dtoType
object
citationUrl
pageCount
9
Source metadata
id
14780
sourceUrl
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Long Sword (katana) with Plovers Flying over Waves
description
For samurai, a sword was more than a weapon: it was an extension of the soul. Samurai usually carry two swords that form a set called daisho (meaning “big and small”), consisting of a katana (which means “long sword”) and wakizashi (which means “side arm”)—an example of each is displayed in this case. This long sword is decorated with numerous plover birds flying over waves. Plovers are usually depicted flying over high waves and braving strong winds, as they are symbols of strength and perseverance in Japanese art and culture.
date
16th-17th century (Edo period)
citationUrl
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
long sword
katana
Ko-katana blade
tsuba
fuchi
kashira
menuki
kozuka
kogai
saya
imageCount
9
pageCount
9
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
91.5
height
7.5
depth
7
dimensionsRaw
Mounted katana, overall L: 36 × W: 2 15/16 × D: 2 3/4 in. (91.5 × 7.5 × 7 cm)
Source extras
cul
Japanese
inscriptions
[Signature] Yoshimichi or Munemichi; [Transcription] Hoki (no) kami Fujiwara Nobutaka; [Translation] Nobutaka
of the Fujiwara clan
Lord of Hoki province
dynasty
Edo period
RelatedObjects
6699
24901
79153
79155
79156
med
Steel, gold, silver, gold-copper alloy (shakudo), silk, wood
creator_ids
4456
5756
collection_ids
none
exhibition_ids
none
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