Blade for a Double-Edged Sword (<i>Ken</i>)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The ken, a sword with a straight double-edged blade based on Chinese prototypes, was used in Japan from at least the third century until the sixth century. At the end of that period, the double-edged sword was gradually superseded by the single-edged type, from which all later Japanese swords developed. This ken was discovered in one of Japan’s most famous early burial mounds, known as the Eda Funayama kofun (burial mound), located in Kumamoto Prefecture, on Kyūshū Island, in southern Japan. The mound, which was excavated first in 1873, yielded many rare items, including jewelry, crowns, ceremonial shoes, armor parts, mirrors, and several swords, all of very high quality. Swords of this period are extremely rare and show the earliest stage in the development of Japanese sword blades. This blade was given to The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1906, as part of an exchange of art objects with the Imperial Museum in Tokyo that was arranged by Dr. Bashford Dean, who at the time was Honorary Curator of Arms and Armor in the Metropolitan Museum. In 1965, the remaining finds from the excavation were designated officially as National Treasures, the highest ranking given to cultural objects in Japan. They are now in the collection of the Tokyo National Museum.

Arms and Armor

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The principal goals of the Arms and Armor Department are to collect, preserve, research, publish, and exhibit distinguished examples representing the art of the armorer, swordsmith, and gunmaker. Arms and armor have been a vital part of virtually all cultures for thousands of years, pivotal not only in conquest and defense, but also in court pageantry and ceremonial events. Throughout time the best armor and weapons have represented the highest artistic and technical capabilities of the society and period in which they were made, forming a unique aspect of both art history and material culture.

Metropolitan Museum of Art