Shaping the Sword

Hello friends of the sword,

Unlike spears, axes, bows and arrows, the sword was a specialised instrument designed for combat, almost exclusively suited for killing people. At the same time, its elaborate manufacture required expert knowledge and valuable raw materials, which is why it has always been considered precious. The sword bestowed power over life and death, denoted its bearer’s high rank, and signified their combat proficiency. Neither lances nor axes enjoyed similar esteem; no other implement was adorned as artfully. From the beginning, the sword was both a symbol and a weapon. Its cultural significance on the one hand, and functionality on the other, have always determined the shape and appearance of the sword. How they complemented each other or possibly stood in contradiction is the subject of the book I am currently writing.

Divine Symmetry

Based on the meticulous examination of hundreds of original weapons, Peter Johnsson has convincingly demonstrated that high and late medieval swords were likely designed according to strict geometric principles. The design principles he proposed are already applicable to Carolingian and Ottonian weapons, which my numerous examinations of corresponding pieces have confirmed without exception.

However, Scandinavian and Baltic types elude such classification. Originating from a different cultural background than the Western Christian tradition, they apparently follow their own design rules.

In addition to several Patreon posts, I also explain step by step in an older video the geometric structure of a presumably Ottonian sword from the 10th century.

Custom Made

The design principles analysed by Peter Johnsson define proportions. However, a specific design requires a reference size, a fundamental unit of measurement. Historical units of measurement such as hand, foot, and ell are derived from the human body.

Hans Drescher pointed out in 1970 a metric correlation of the parts of a Viking sword fragment from the Elbe near Hamburg. Drescher noted that the basic measure of the preserved parts corresponds to the English inch. In Danish, an inch is still called "tomme," which means "thumb." It is not unreasonable to assume that components of swords were measured in thumb widths, and corresponding formulas determined the proportions of hilt components.

Such an approach would display geometric proportionality even if no geometric plan had been made. In any case, the fact that Alfred Geibig was able to base his typology on the dimensions and proportions of hilt parts suggests that their design was by no means arbitrary. The mere possibility of typologically categorising sword hilts shows that although there were cultural and regional differences, there must have been some form of consensus on the design of a given type over several generations.

I examined whether a geometric design could be traced back to body measurements using the example of a late medieval sword from Lübeck. I was surprised by the clear result. Here is the post with many images:

A Sword from Hedeby in New Splendour

For my book, I recently created an illustration showing sword 6 from the harbour of Hedeby, depicting how it might have looked over a thousand years ago. The result is based on the publications of Alfred Geibig and the examination of the sword fragment conducted by Stephan Meinhardt and myself.

Learn more about this once magnificent weapon and see the image at a higher resolution in my corresponding post.

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

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Yours,

Roland

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