The Goujian sword, a timeless blade.
The great value of the smiths from far east and of their weapons is a well-know fact since ancient times. In fact, most of the old stories still known in modern times lie in the middle between myth and reality.
2500 years ago, a legendary weapon was forged in the heart of China: the Goujian sword.
In 1965, in occasion of an archaeologic excavation near the Jingzhou basin (Hubei province, China) a sealed wooden case was found near a buried man. Archaeologists were amazed, opening the case, to find a sheated sword: the weapon was half meter long and completely intact. No signs of corrosion, bronze desease, stain of rust or any other type of deterioration. Moreover, the blade was still sharp!
A careful study of this enchanted weapon allowed archaeologists to estimate the period in which the sword was forged. They suppose that the smiths realized the sword during the late phase of the “spring and autumn period” (5th century BC). Therefore, after two millennia of burial in a humid hypogeal environment, the sword was technically and aesthetically perfect: on the blade, the black diamond decoration on a yellow background was still visible…and today it is still! Furthermore, archaeologists found on the hilt some Chinese characters that can be translated as: “Goujian, king of Yue”.
The kings that lived during this period had a peculiar devotion for swords: they had to own the sword, but not necessary to use them. Probably, because the king of Yue did not use his sword, this famous weapon arrived to us uncorroded and without any sign of degradation. The good quality of the raw materials and the good technique of the forging maybe helped its preservation.
In 1980 a group of researchers of the University of Fundan used the PIXE technique with an external beam (non-destructive analysis) to study the Goujian sword (Chen et al., 1890). The analyses were realized both on yellow and black areas of the blade and they revealed the presence of lead in low percentage and even a lower percentage of iron (the last almost absent), that probably preserved the sword from rusting. The presence of sulphur in the black decoration suggested a special treatment, yet used in ancient times, for the metal that could have helped against corrosion. Finally, the copper/tin ratio in the yellow area (Cu 83.1%, Sn 15.2 %) and that in the black one (Cu 68.2%, Sn 29.1%) proved the high skills of the Chinese smiths of the 5th century BC.
Other studies (e.g. Derui et al. 2000), performed on samples of ancient swords and on comparison materials, confirmed the remarkable technical level in forgery in ancient China. In fact, researchers think that the decoration pattern with diamonds should have been done by coating the surface and, later, by applying some chemical treatments. Moreover, they believe that the smiths knew how to create alloy with a different Cu/Sn ratio for the rim, the body or the surface of the swords.
Despite the origin of the Goujian sword was studied and the realization technology was investigated, this weapon continues to carry an aura of mystery and legend.
Currently the sword is conserved at the Museum of Hubei province, in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
2500 years ago, a legendary weapon was forged in the heart of China: the Goujian sword.
A careful study of this enchanted weapon allowed archaeologists to estimate the period in which the sword was forged. They suppose that the smiths realized the sword during the late phase of the “spring and autumn period” (5th century BC). Therefore, after two millennia of burial in a humid hypogeal environment, the sword was technically and aesthetically perfect: on the blade, the black diamond decoration on a yellow background was still visible…and today it is still! Furthermore, archaeologists found on the hilt some Chinese characters that can be translated as: “Goujian, king of Yue”.
In 1980 a group of researchers of the University of Fundan used the PIXE technique with an external beam (non-destructive analysis) to study the Goujian sword (Chen et al., 1890). The analyses were realized both on yellow and black areas of the blade and they revealed the presence of lead in low percentage and even a lower percentage of iron (the last almost absent), that probably preserved the sword from rusting. The presence of sulphur in the black decoration suggested a special treatment, yet used in ancient times, for the metal that could have helped against corrosion. Finally, the copper/tin ratio in the yellow area (Cu 83.1%, Sn 15.2 %) and that in the black one (Cu 68.2%, Sn 29.1%) proved the high skills of the Chinese smiths of the 5th century BC.
Other studies (e.g. Derui et al. 2000), performed on samples of ancient swords and on comparison materials, confirmed the remarkable technical level in forgery in ancient China. In fact, researchers think that the decoration pattern with diamonds should have been done by coating the surface and, later, by applying some chemical treatments. Moreover, they believe that the smiths knew how to create alloy with a different Cu/Sn ratio for the rim, the body or the surface of the swords.
Despite the origin of the Goujian sword was studied and the realization technology was investigated, this weapon continues to carry an aura of mystery and legend.
Currently the sword is conserved at the Museum of Hubei province, in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
Bibliography:
- Derui T., Haiping L., Zejia W., Limin S., Jin L., Guoying Z., Zhong L. and Fan H. "A study into the making technique of the lozenge pattern on bronze weapons in the eastern zhou period.", Acta archaeological Sinica 2000.1: 111-146
- Milburn, Olivia. “The Weapons of Kings: A New Perspective on Southern Sword Legends in Early China.” Journal of the American Oriental Society, vol. 128, no. 3, 2008, pp. 423–437. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/25608404.
- Chen, Jian-Xin, et al. "PIXE research with an external beam." Nuclear instruments and Methods 168.1-3 (1980): 437-440
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