Drawing by Numbers: Designing a Sword

Dear fellow sword enthusiasts, archaeologists, and historical martial artists,

Last week, I shared the story of the rediscovery of a sword from a Late Slavic burial (here is my extensive post).

Since then, a discussion between researchers Jan H. Orkiz and Peter Johnsson has yielded fascinating insights into the design of this weapon. I hope you consider these findings both educational and intriguing.

Peter Johnsson, Swordsmith

Peter Johnsson is a Swedish artist, designer, researcher, and swordsmith of international renown. He is best known for his studies of medieval sword design, which culminated in an exhibition and publication titled The Sword—Form and Thought at the Solingen Blade Museum in 2016.

His exploration of the aesthetic qualities of historical swords has inspired him to create his own designs, resulting in pieces with an almost otherworldly aura. His fantasy swords are true works of art that have been featured in international exhibitions and fairs. Notably, one of his creations was acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2023.

For the HBO series House of the Dragon, he crafted the iconic swords "Dark Sister" and "Blackfyre," which have been hailed as some of the most captivating TV swords ever made. To explore more of his work, you can visit his website at SwordReflections.com.

Geometric Layout or Modular Design?

In a constructive discussion with fellow researcher Jan H. Orkiz on my Facebook pages, Peter Johnsson writes: "Since I wrote my articles for the Solingen exhibition catalogue back in 2015-16, my ideas have evolved, and I am now looking as much for signs of modular approaches as I do for indications of geometric constructions. Sword hilts often exhibit proportions that follow the ratios of musical harmonies, which are modular by nature."

Peter created illustrations to visualise his analysis of the Klüß sword based on my examination and tracing of the piece, and he has kindly allowed me to share these preliminary results with you. He states: "The tracing suggests that the sword is likely based on a modular design rather than a geometric layout.

A modular design is not constrained by the framework of a basic geometric layout. Instead, it requires that all significant elements of the design can be derived through whole number ratios from other parts within a hierarchical system.

• The hilt-to-blade ratio of the sword is 1:7.
• The blade width to blade length ratio is 1:15.

• The hilt length to guard width ratio is 3:5—this is also the ratio of two musical notes that resonate in the harmony of a sixth. If you pluck a string and then shorten it to 3/5 of its original length before plucking it again, the two tones will harmonise as a musical sixth.

• The pommel height to hilt length (inside the guard) ratio is 1:4.
• The pommel width to guard width ratio is 1:4.

These simple whole number ratios provide all the essential proportions needed to craft this sword. The clear and straightforward use of modular units may suggest that the sword was made south of the Alps by Italian swordsmiths."

So, that's it for today. Take care, and keep your blade well-honed.

If you enjoyed this newsletter, please recommend it to your friends. They can sign up here or on my website. Or simply forward them this email.

To learn to fight, consult our sword & buckler online course.

If you wish to read more, find hundreds of related posts on my Patreon. Special thanks to all my loyal supporters on Patreon – you keep me going! And if you are not a patron yet, you are most welcome to join.

If you feel like dropping a coin into my tip jar, you can do so here. Thank you for your time and your interest.

Yours,

Roland

You are receiving this newsletter because you have signed up for it, or because you have previously expressed your interest in my work and events. If you prefer to not receive further emails, you can unsubscribe below.