Quote:
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Originally Posted by Antonio Cejunior
This would give birth to the so called yokote in the Japanese blade.
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This is really an undervalued and usually misunderstood thing.
In effect Yokote originated in China, as you correctly state. The following
sword is the one used by Shotoku Taishi and preserved in the Shosoin,
Nara, dated to the Sui (if chinese) / Asuka (if japanese) period (VII c. A.D.)
Origin still debated but in this period swords were imported in large quantities
from China. The Yokote with even stronger changing in geometry then the
one you've posted is evident, confirming the chinese origin of this feature,
now usually considered a japanese one :
Another example, same period but considered japanese, still identical to
mainland swords :
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Antonio Cejunior
In the Jomon period chokuto both from China and Korea (ring pommel swords) were used mainly for stabbing, hence the ring to use the hand for pressing/pushing.
Many people think of Katana just for cutting, forgetting the stabbing purpose.
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Almost all right here too, but I've to highlight that the therm Katana, even
if with wide meaning, is conventionally referred to curved swords.
Jokoto and straight, ring pommelled Warabite-to had (have?) a blade
geometry/section that wasn't good for cutting, being the Shinogi (ridge line),
when present, too low (see examples hereabove).
Of course you're right in saying they were used for slashing too, but not as
primary purpose. The contrary of the later Katana, that had a rised Shinogi
and a curvature that balanced the weakening of a thinner hardened
cutting edge. Reversely, here we've a marginal only stabbing purpose, due to
the cross section and general Sugata (shape), optimized for cutting.
A good modern museum quality reproduction of a ring pommelled
japanese Warabite-To, very similar to continental items (III/V c. A.D.) :
