Inlaid gold patterns found on 1,100-year-old Japan's spear stun experts

Japanese researchers have uncovered a remarkably ornate spear blade dating back 1,100 to 1,300 years on Okinoshima Island, a sacred site recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage location. The spear, found inside a gold sheath among 80,000 artifacts, was revealed through advanced X-ray and CT scanning techniques to be an intricately decorated iron blade measuring about 11-12 inches. Crafted during the Yamato Dynasty, the blade features unique inlaid gold patterns depicting tortoise shells, phoenixes, flowers, and arabesque motifs, created using the kinzōgan technique of embedding gold into carved metal recesses. This spear is considered one of the finest examples of ritual weaponry from East Asia and is now designated a national treasure. The spear was not intended for practical combat use but rather served a significant spiritual and ceremonial role, likely in maritime rituals performed on Okinoshima, which was a spiritual epicenter of early Japanese statehood. Its elaborate craftsmanship and symbolic motifs, such