2-2 Short Answer Seeing Your Artifact in a New Light PDF

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Artifact in a new light: Grade A...

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Nicolas Polar 3/14/2021 Module 2 Short Answer HUM-100

2-2 Short Answer: Seeing Your Artifact in a N2ew Light

The two artifacts I would like to study are the Honjo Masamune and the Parque Ceremonial Indigena de Caguana. The first-time hearing about the Honjo Masamune (a katana sword) was in a documentary about the power struggles and history of a warring 16th-century Japan. The Honjo Masamune fascinated me because of how elegant this instrument of war was, and because of the historical value it holds. The story of how it was made, the effort, and materials put into it also caught my attention. The Parque Ceremonial Indigena de Caguana peaked my interest because of the state that it is in considering its age. Parque Ceremonial Indigena de Caguana was inhabited by the native Taino people of Puerto Rico, the date in which they began inhabiting the area is unknown, but I do know that in the 15th century the Spanish arrived and decimated the population of Tainos. In 1915 a man by the name of Dr John Mason began excavating the site to try and find ancient cultural artifacts, strangely they did not preserve the findings or the petroglyphs that they found and left them there. Years later other archaeologists came to the site and found 10 ceremonial plazas, petroglyphs, and other artifacts, all were meticulously noted. These artifacts provided knowledge of how the Taino’s provided their basic, physical, emotional, security, and entertainment needs.

The Artifact that I have chosen is the Honjo Masamune. Created by Goro Nyudo Masamude, the Honjo Masamune was composed of 30,000 layers of high carbon steel, the blade was made to cut through the thicker and tougher armor that the invading Mongols were wearing. The thin edge was used to cut through the armor, whereas the back acted as a flexible shield that could absorb

Nicolas Polar 3/14/2021 Module 2 Short Answer HUM-100

the impact the Mongol weapons. One of the most impressive things about the Honjo Masamune was how elegant and powerful it was. The purpose of the Honjo Masamune was to better equip 13th century Japanese soldiers against invading Mongols of the Kublai clan. Today katanas are an iconic symbol of Japanese Samurai tradition, it is a refined weapon that empowers fierce strength. I believe that creator Goro Nyudo Masamunde was eventually successful in his purpose to weaponize Japan to bring peace to the land for 250 years making the Honjo Masamune a ceremonial sword.

Resources

Author not found (year unavailable). Mystery of the Enigmatic Honjo Masamune Sword. Swords of Northshire. https://www.swordsofnorthshire.com/mystery-of-the-enigmatic-hanjo-masamunesword

Gwenn. (n. d.) Meet the Original Puerto Ricans at Caguana. Puerto Rico Day Trips. https://www.puertoricodaytrips.com/caguana-ceremonial-park/...