Iron Blade Found in Ancient Taiwanese Tomb

Source: Taiwan Journal

Archaeologists found a rusted iron blade dating back to around 500 AD in the tomb of a male on the island of Taiwan last month, the Taiwan Journal reports.

The blade, measuring around 13-inches long and two inches wide, comes from a period designated by archaeologists as the Niasong period.

Chu Cheng-yi, head of the team working on the excavation, believes the blade was obtained by trade.



Chu noted that the iron implements found in the area were almost certainly acquired through trade, as no evidence of iron smelting has yet been found in the region. The only confirmed center for iron smelting in prehistoric Taiwan is the Shihsanhang archaeological site nearly 300 kilometers to the north in Taipei County. It is not yet known, however, whether the [recently discovered] iron implements found in Tainan County came from Shihsanhang or from somewhere else across the sea.

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