MEDIEVAL SWORDS
The term "Medieval Sword" evokes a feeling of power. A Medieval Sword is not just your ordinary sword.
A sword is a symbol of power. When you think of a sword an image of a knight probably comes to mind - maybe even castles and dragons. But when you think of a "Medieval Sword" an all together different image comes to mind. A Medieval Sword looks and feels different than your ordinary sword. Here are some essays, information, and resources about this special kind of sword.
Swords from the Video Games - There are lots of great Medieval Swords in video games from Final Fantasy to Bloodrayne, Zelda, and Lord of the Rings. Video Game Swords
How to Make a Sword - Swordmaking is a very old craft and there are lots of ways to make a sword. Here is the traditional six step method for making a real sword. How to make a Medieval Sword
The History of Medieval Swords
Roman Battle Sword The Best early examples are of the Roman Swords. These swords were directly derived from the designs of the early bronze age swords. Several distinct features stand out. First off, they were predominantly used for stabbing. The metal working technology of the time was not advanced enough to make a strong enough blade for slicing and hacking. Secondly there was no cross piece or handguard. These swords were often made by pouring the metal directly into stone casts then shaping them. The handles were often made of wood. This type of sword dates back 2,000 years and its predecessor the Bronze sword dates even further back.
The Iron Age Changed and developed the Medieval Sword
The Iron Age is generally accepted as having started around the 12th Century. Metalworking skill quickly developed and improved and in particular the working of swords was brought to a very high level in Celtic and British cultures.
This Celtic Dress Sword is a replica of an early celtic sword. You can see that there have been some design improvements in sword technology. The blade is longer and the sides are sharpened. This Medieval Sword could be effectively used for slashing and not just stabbing. You can also see some changes in the handle. The crosspiece, made of brass, protrudes a bit from the handle. As swords became used for slashing the crosspiece became an effective defnese against an opponents blade. This crosspiece would stop the opponents blade before it could slide down onto the handle and cut the holders hand.
Death Knight's Ornate Skull Covered Short Sword This sword is representative of the early to middle Iron Age sword that came out of Britain and Europe. The sword is quite plain in how it looks. Functionality was the most important factor. After all, it was a weapon with life or death consequences. Notice how the crosspiece has been extended.
The Middle to Late Middle Ages saw the rapid spread of the technology and techniques of metalworking and smithing and many different types of medieval swords were created all over the world. And they varied quite significantly from the highly streamlined Katanas of the Samurai to the sweeping curves of the Persian swords.
The Persian Scimitar - Is fanous for its sweeping curved blade. This weapon was sharpened on one edge and was predominantly used as a slicing weapon. Warrior Scimitar of Persia
The Medieval Sword and Today's Collector
The Slayer Sword In the modern world the art of the Medieval Sword has taken a whole new meaning. With the popularity of fantasy books and movies swords have become a statement for characters and although the designs are not something that would have actually been found in medieval times they do represent the medieval feeling very well - even taking it to a new level. The slayer sword shown here is a good example of this concept. It is obviously something that was created for someone either not human or of a not very nice nature. This was not a good guys sword.
What Makes a Sword Truly Medieval? Read more on the next page
