Knife - Tosu

This refers to "kogatana." They were used for everyday chores rather than as weapons. The handles of bronze products are also cast in the same way, and some have patterns cast into them, or have circular handles or animal heads. In China, bronze knives have been seen since the Yin dynasty, but in Japan, iron knives are more common, and have been seen since the Yayoi period and are more common in the Kofun period. During the Yayoi period, knives with handles made of deer antlers have been excavated, but during the Kofun period, in addition to wooden handles, there were also knives made of deer antlers decorated with straight-curve patterns. The sheaths were also made of animal skin or wooden sheaths covered with leather, and they were likely to have been hung from the waist, and their shape can be seen in stone replica knives. Although there are few examples, gorgeous knives with sheaths made of thin sheets of gilt bronze or silver have been excavated from late Kofun tombs. The knives that are treasures of the Shosoin Repository (from the Nara period) have handles made of rhinoceros horn, dyed tooth, black persimmon, or rosewood, and there are also decorative knives with sheaths made of gold, silver, or rosewood. These knives are even more luxurious, and some even have many knives combined into a single sheath, such as 3-go knives or 10-go knives.

[Murai Takeo]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

「こがたな」のこと。武器としてより日常の雑用に用いられた。青銅製品は柄(つか)も同鋳され、文様を鋳出したり、柄頭(つかがしら)を環状にしたものや獣頭の形を飾るものなどがある。中国ではすでに殷(いん)代から青銅製刀子がみられるが、日本では鉄製刀子が一般的で、弥生(やよい)時代からみられ、古墳時代に多い。弥生時代には鹿角(ろっかく)製の柄をつけた刀子が出土しているが、古墳時代には木製の柄のほか、鹿角製で直弧文(ちょっこもん)を飾ったものがある。鞘(さや)も獣皮で袋をつくったもの、木鞘を革で覆ったものなどがあり、腰につり下げたとみられ、その形が石製模造品の刀子にうかがわれる。また例は少ないが、金銅(こんどう)や銀の薄板で鞘をつくった華麗な刀子が後期古墳から出土している。正倉院宝物の刀子（奈良時代）には、犀角(さいかく)や染牙(せんげ)、黒柿(くろがき)、紫檀(したん)などの柄をもち、これらのほか金銀、紫檀などの鞘を用いた装飾的な刀子がみられ、一段と豪華さを増し、三合刀子や十合刀子など多くの刀子を一つの鞘にまとめたものもある。

［村井嵓雄］

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