I am Roland Warzecha, a professional illustrator – and a swordsman. Hence the name ‘Dimicator’ which is a Latin term meaning sword fighter. I present to you cutting-edge research into historical martial arts, and Viking & high medieval sword & shield fighting in particular. I am co-operating with museums, fellow martial artists and scholars worldwide. Renowned expert for historical arms, Dr Alfred Geibig, says: “The careful reconstruction of historical swordsmanship, impressively demonstrated by Mr. Warzecha, is a valuable supplement to archaeological insights, and clearly proves the efficiency of European swords and the sophistication of the associated historical fighting arts.” To get regular up-dates on the archaeology and history of sword & shield and how they were used, sign up for my newsletter! I would be delighted if you would join my quest.
Welcome to the 14th Century
Winter is coming…
Hi dwellers of the Seven Kingdoms.
This morning more than 500 cranes were assembling on a field near our house, getting ready for their long journey south. A spectacular sight, and some impressive noise. Very obviously, this year will soon come to its end. Days are are getting shorter, and with daylight waning early, it is a good idea to get comfy on the sofa, with a tea and a good read.
So if you are a 14th century enthusiast like myself, if you have a weak spot for this period’s arms & armour, swords in particular, and of course Europe’s oldest combat treatise, then I am sure you will enjoy browsing my numerous related posts on my patreon, many of which are public.
The platform has recently up-dated and improved many features, and their search engine has finally become quite useful. I recently got lost in that rabbit hole myself, and did not regret it a bit. So you might find something worthwhile, too, while having that tea on your sofa.
Like, for instance, this latest addition with Tom Jersø in his fabulous 14th century kit.
| See Tom in his Visby armour! |
Clicking a tag at the end of a post will get you deeper into your November evening rabbit hole. Enjoy your tea!
So, that's it for today. Take care, and keep your blade well-honed.
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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
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Dimicator
I am Roland Warzecha, a professional illustrator – and a swordsman. Hence the name ‘Dimicator’ which is a Latin term meaning sword fighter. I present to you cutting-edge research into historical martial arts, and Viking & high medieval sword & shield fighting in particular. I am co-operating with museums, fellow martial artists and scholars worldwide. Renowned expert for historical arms, Dr Alfred Geibig, says: “The careful reconstruction of historical swordsmanship, impressively demonstrated by Mr. Warzecha, is a valuable supplement to archaeological insights, and clearly proves the efficiency of European swords and the sophistication of the associated historical fighting arts.” To get regular up-dates on the archaeology and history of sword & shield and how they were used, sign up for my newsletter! I would be delighted if you would join my quest.
Drawing by Numbers: Designing a Sword Peter Johnsson when I first met him in the Sankt Annen Museum in Lübeck in 2012 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...
Fencing in Autumn & Unboxing a Medieval Sword Mikkel Mønsted and Emil O'Gara will teach classes at Ribe Dear fellow sword enthusiasts, archaeologists, and historical martial artists, Autumn has arrived, which means the Ribe Bouts and the Berlin Buckler Bouts are just around the corner. Details on how to join are below. Also in today’s newsletter: the rediscovery and documentation of a mighty sword from a Late Slavic burial in the Prignitz district of Brandenburg. I hope you find it an...
More Bronze Age Battling The Tollense Valley is a 3-hours drive from where I live Dear fellow martial artists and archaeology enthusiasts, In a recent newsletter, I told you about the 3,300-year-old bronze sword from the Tollense Valley, the site of a large-scale violent conflict that took place in the Late Bronze Age. Now, an extensive TV documentary tells the story of the discovery, excavations, and research results of what some archaeologists consider the world’s oldest known battlefield....