A 'sword' is a long-edged piece of metal, used as a cutting and/or thrusting weapon in many
civilizations throughout the world. The word ''sword'' comes from the
Old English '', which cognates to
Old High German ''swert'',
Middle Dutch ''swaert'',
Old Norse ''sverð'' (cp. modern
Scandinavian ''sværd/sverd/svärd'':
Danish ''sværd'',
Norwegian ''sverd'',
Swedish ''svärd'')
Old Frisian and
Old Saxon ''swerd'' and
Modern Dutch ''zwaard'', from a
Proto-Indo-European root ''
★ swer-'' "to wound, to hurt".
A sword fundamentally consists of a
blade and a
hilt, typically with one or two edges for striking and
cutting, and a point for thrusting. The basic intent and
physics of
swordsmanship has remained fairly constant down the centuries, but the actual techniques varied among cultures and periods as a result of the differences in blade design and purpose. The names given to many swords in
mythology,
literature, and
history reflect the high prestige of the weapon (see
list of swords).
History
Bronze Age
Main articles: Bronze Age sword
Humans have manufactured and used bladed weapons from the
Bronze Age onwards. The sword developed from the
dagger when the construction of longer blades became possible, from the early
2nd millennium BC. Swords longer than 90 cm were rare and not practical during the Bronze Age as this length exceeds the
tensile strength of bronze. It was not until the development of stronger alloys such as
steel that longswords became practical for
combat.
The hilt at first simply allowed a firm grip, and prevented the hand from slipping onto the blade when executing a thrust.
Bronze Age swords with typical leaf-shaped blades first appear near the
Mediterranean and the
Black Sea, and in
Mesopotamia. Swords from the
Nordic Bronze Age from ca.
1400 BC show characteristic spiral patterns.
Sword production in
China is attested from the Bronze Age
Shang Dynasty
The Naue Type II Swords which spread from Southern Europe into the Mediterranean, have been linked by Robert Drews with the Late
Bronze Age collapse. (See
[1])
Iron Age
Main articles: Iron Age sword,
Migration period sword
Iron swords became increasingly common from the
13th century BC. The
Hittites, the
Mycenaean Greeks, and the
Proto-Celtic Hallstatt culture (8th century BC) figured among the early users of iron swords. Iron has the advantage of mass-production due to the wider availability of the raw material. Early iron swords were not comparable to later
steel blades; being brittle, they were even inferior to well-manufactured bronze weapons, but the easier production, and the better availability of the raw material for the first time permitted the equipment of entire armies with metal weapons, though Bronze Age Egyptian armies were at times fully equipped with bronze weapons.
Eventually
smiths learned that by adding an amount of
carbon (added during
smelting in the form of
charcoal) in the iron, they could produce an improved alloy (now known as
steel). Several different methods of swordmaking existed in ancient times, including, most famously,
pattern welding. Over time, different methods developed all over the world.
By the time of
Classical Antiquity and the Parthian and Sassanid Empires in Iran, iron swords were common. The Greek
xiphos and the Roman
gladius are typical examples of the type, measuring some 60 to 70 cm. The late
Roman Empire introduced the longer
spatha (the term for its wielder,
spatharius, became a court rank in Constantinople), and from this time, the term ''
long sword'' is applied to swords comparatively long for their respective periods.
Chinese steel swords make their appearance from the
3rd century BC Qin Dynasty. The Chinese
Dao (刀
pinyin dāo) is single-edged, sometimes translated as
sabre or
broadsword, and the
Jian (劍
pinyin jiàn) double edged.
Middle Ages
The spatha type remained popular throughout the
Migration period and well into the
Middle Ages.
Vendel Age spathas were decorated with Germanic artwork (not unlike the Germanic
bracteates fashioned after Roman coins). The
Viking Age saw again a more standardized production, but the basic design remained indebted to the spatha.
It is only from the
11th century that
Norman swords begin to develop the
quillons or
crossguard. During the
Crusades of the
12th to (
13th) century, this cruciform type of
arming sword remained essentially stable, with variations mainly concerning the shape of the
pommel. These swords were designed as cutting weapons, although effective points were becoming common to counter improvements in armour.
Single-edged weapons became popular throughout Asia. Derived from the
Chinese dao, the
Korean
hwandudaedo are known from the early medieval
Three Kingdoms. The
Japanese
katana, production of which is recorded from ca.
900 AD (see
Japanese sword), is also derived from the dao.
Late Middle Ages and Renaissance
Main articles: Longsword,
Zweihänder
From around
1300 to
1500, in concert with improved
armour, innovative sword designs evolved more and more rapidly. The main transition was the lengthening of the grip, allowing two-handed use, and a longer blade. By
1400, this type of sword, at the time called ''
langes Schwert'' (longsword) or ''spadone'', was common, and a number of
15th and
16th century ''
Fechtbücher'' offering instructions on their use survive. Another variant was the specialized armour-piercing swords of the
estoc type. The
longsword became popular due to its extreme reach and cutting and thrusting abilities. The
estoc became popular because of its ability to thrust into the gaps between plates of armor. The grip was sometimes wrapped in wire or coarse animal hide to provide a better grip and to make it harder to knock a sword out of the user's hand.
In the
16th century, the large ''Doppelhänder'' (called the ''
Zweihänder'' today; both German names refer to the use of both hands) concluded the trend of ever-increasing sword sizes (mostly due to the beginning of the decline of plate armor and the advent of firearms), and the early
Modern Age saw the return to lighter, one-handed weapons.
The sword in this time period was the most personal weapon, the most prestigious, and the most versatile for close combat, but it came to decline in military use as technology changed warfare. However, it maintained a key role in civilian self-defense.
Modern Age
Some think the
rapier evolved from the Spanish ''
espada ropera'' in the
16th century. The rapier differed from most earlier swords in that it was not a military weapon but a primarily civilian sword. Both the rapier and the Italian
schiavona developed the crossguard into a basket-shaped guard for hand protection. During the
17th and
18th centuries, the shorter
smallsword became an essential fashion accessory in European countries and the New World, and most wealthy men and military officers carried one. Both the smallsword and the rapier remained popular
dueling swords well into the 18th century.
As the wearing of swords fell out of fashion,
canes took their place in a gentleman's wardrobe. Some examples of canes—those known as sword canes or
swordsticks—incorporate a concealed blade. The
French martial art ''
la canne'' developed to fight with canes and swordsticks and has now evolved into a sport.
Towards the end of its useful life, the sword served more as a weapon of self-defense than for use on the battlefield, and the military importance of swords steadily decreased during the
Modern Age. Even as a personal sidearm, the sword began to lose its preeminence in the early
19th century, paralleling the development of reliable
handguns.
Swords continued in use, but were increasingly limited to military commissioned
officers' and
non-commissioned officers' ceremonial
uniforms, although most armies retained heavy cavalry until well after
World War I. For example, the British Army formally adopted a completely new design of
cavalry sword in
1908, almost the last change in British Army weapons before the outbreak of the war. The last units of British heavy cavalry switched to using
armoured vehicles as late as
1938. Swords and other dedicated melee weapons were used occasionally by various countries during
World War II, but typically as a secondary weapon as they were outclassed by contemporaneous
firearms.
Terminology
Hilt of a sword
Full Sword in scabbard
The sword consists of the
blade and the
hilt.
The term ''
scabbard'' applies to the cover for the sword blade when not in use.
Sword_parts.svg
Blade
Three types of attacks can be performed with the blade: striking,
cutting, and
thrusting. The blade can be double-edged or single-edged, the latter often having a secondary "false edge" near the tip. When handling the sword, the ''long'' or ''true'' edge is the one used for straight cuts or strikes, while the ''short'' or ''false'' edge is the one used for backhand strikes. Some hilt designs define which edge is the 'long' one, while
more symmetrical designs allow the long and short edges to be inverted by turning the sword of one's hand on the hilt.
The blade may have grooves known as
fullers for lightening the blade while allowing it to retain its strength and stiffness, similar to the effect produced by a
steel I-beam used in construction. The blade may taper more or less sharply towards a point, used for thrusting. The part of the blade between the
Center of Percussion (CoP) and the point is called the ''foible'' (weak) of the blade, and that between the
Center of Balance (CoB) and the hilt is the ''forte'' (strong). The section in between the CoP and the CoB is the ''middle''. The ''
ricasso'' or ''shoulder'' identifies a short section of blade immediately forward of the guard that is left completely unsharpened, and can be gripped with a finger to increase tip control. Many swords have no ricasso. On some large weapons, such as the
German ''
Zweihänder'', a leather cover surrounded the ricasso, and a swordsman might grip it in one hand to wield the weapon more easily in close-quarter combat. The ricasso normally bears the
maker's mark. On Japanese blades this mark appears on the
tang (part of the blade that extends into the hilt) under the grip.
★ In the case of a rat-tail tang, the maker welds a thin rod to the end of the blade at the crossguard; this rod goes through the grip (in 20th-century and later construction). This occurs most commonly in decorative replicas, or cheap
sword-like objects. Traditional sword-making does not use this construction method, which does not serve for traditional sword usage as the sword can easily break at the welding point.
★ In traditional construction, the
swordsmith forged the tang as a part of the sword rather than welding it on. Traditional tangs go through the grip: this gives much more durability than a rat-tail tang. Swordsmiths
peened such tangs over the end of the pommel, or occasionally welded the hilt furniture to the tang and threaded the end for screwing on a pommel. This style is often referred to as a "narrow" or "hidden" tang. Modern, less traditional, replicas often feature a threaded pommel or a pommel nut which holds the hilt together and allows dismantling.
★ In a "full" tang (most commonly used in knives and machetes), the tang has about the same width as the blade, and is generally the same shape as the grip. In European or Asian swords sold today, many advertised "full" tangs may actually involve a forged rat-tail tang.
From the
18th century onwards, swords intended for slashing, i.e., with blades ground to a sharpened edge, have been curved with the radius of curvature equal to the distance from the swordman's body at which it was to be used. This allowed the blade to have a sawing effect rather than simply delivering a heavy cut. European swords, intended for use at
arm's length, had a
radius of
curvature of around a meter.
Middle Eastern swords, intended for use with the arm bent, had a smaller radius.
Hilt
The
hilt is the collective term of the parts allowing the handling and control of the blade, consisting of the
grip, the
pommel, and a simple or elaborate
guard, which in post-
Viking Age swords could consist of only a
crossguard (called
cruciform hilt). The pommel, in addition to improving the sword's balance and grip, can also be used as a blunt instrument at close range. It may also have a ''
tassel'' or ''
sword knot''.
The
tang consists of the extension of the blade structure through the hilt.
Scabbard
The
scabbard is a protective cover often provided for the sword blade. Over the millennia, scabbards have been made of many materials, including leather, wood, and metals such as brass or steel. The metal fitting where the blade enters the leather or metal scabbard is called the 'throat', which is often part of a larger scabbard 'mount', or 'locket', that bears a carrying ring or stud to facilitate wearing the sword. The blade's point in leather scabbards is usually protected by a metal 'tip', or 'chape', which on both leather and metal scabbards is often given further protection from wear by an extension called a 'drag', or 'shoe'.
Typology
Swords can fall into categories of varying scope. The main distinguishing characteristics include blade shape (cross-section, taper, and length), shape and size of hilt and pommel, age, and place of origin.
For any other type than listed below, and even for uses other than as a weapon, see the article
Sword-like object.
Single-edged and double-edged swords
As noted above, the terms ''
longsword'', ''
broad sword'', ''
great sword'', and ''
Gaelic claymore'' are used relative to the era under consideration, and each term designates a particular type of sword.
One strict definition of a sword restricts it to a straight, double-edged bladed weapon designed for both slashing and thrusting. However, general usage of the term remains inconsistent and it has important cultural overtones, so that commentators almost universally recognize the single-edged swords such as Asian weapons (
dāo 刀,
katana 刀) as "swords", simply because they have a prestige akin to their European counterparts.
Europeans also frequently refer to their own single-edged weapons as swords — generically
backswords, including
sabres. Other terms include
falchion,
scimitar,
cutlass,
dussack,
Messer or
mortuary sword. Many of these refer to essentially identical weapons, and the different names may relate to their use in different countries at different times. A
machete as a
tool resembles such a single-edged sword and serves to cut through thick vegetation, and indeed many of the terms listed above describe weapons that originated as farmers' tools used on the battlefield.
Single-handed
★
Bronze Age swords, length ca. 60 cm, leaf shaped blade.
★
Iron Age swords like the
xiphos,
gladius and
jian 劍, similar in shape to their Bronze Age predecessors.
★
Spatha, measuring ca. 80–90 cm.
★ The classical
arming sword of Medieval Europe, measuring up to ca. 110 cm.
★ The late medieval Swiss
baselard and the Renaissance Italian
cinquedea and German ''
Katzbalger'' essentially re-introduce the functionality of the spatha, coinciding with the strong cultural movement to emulate the Classical world.
★ The
cut & thrust swords of the Renaissance, similar to the older arming sword but balanced for increased thrusting.
★ Light
duelling swords, like the
rapier and the
smallsword, in use from
Early Modern times.
★ The Japanese short sword, or
wakizashi
★ The
ida of the
Yoruba tribe of
West Africa. It can also be regarded as a two-handed sword.
★ The Arabian
scimitar, the similar Persian
shamshir.
★ The East Indian
kris, with a wavy double-edged blade.
★ The Fillipino
itak, (
image) used by pre-Spanish Filipinos or Austronesians as a primary weapon in protecting its boundaries.
Two-handed
Katana of the 16th or 17th Century, with its ''saya''.
★ The Japanese samurai sword, or
katana,
tachi and
nodachi
★ The
longsword (and bastard sword/hand-and-a-half sword) of the Middle Ages and Renaissance.
★ The 16th-century ''Doppelhänder'' or ''
Zweihänder'' (German for "double-hander" or "two-hander").
★ The Chinese anti-cavalry sword,
zhanmadao of the Song Dynasty.
★ The Scottish Highland
claymore, (or
claidheamh mór-gàidhlig, great sword); in use until the 18th Century.
Punishment devices
★ Real swords can be used to administer various
physical punishments: to perform either
capital punishment by decapitation (the use of the sword, an honourable weapon on military men, was regarded as privilege) or non-surgical
amputation. In Scandinavia, where beheading has been the traditional means of capital punishment, noblemen were beheaded with sword and commoners with an axe.
★ Similarly paddle-like sword-like devices for
physical punishment are used in Asia, in western terms for
paddling or
caning, depending whether the implement is flat or round.
★ The
shinai, a practice sword, is also used in Japan as a
spanking implement, more common in prized private extracurricular schools (illustrated in these 1975 and 1977 articles
[2] &
[3]) than the US school paddling; in fact hundreds of cases of illegal corporal punishment were reported from public schools as well.
Symbolism
''The sword'' can
symbolize
violence,
combat or
military intervention. Jesus' statement "For all who draw the sword will die by the sword"(NIV) uses the term in this sense. In Islam, the Arabic expression ''
Jihad bis saif'' 'struggle by the sword' means 'holy' war for Islam.
Another example of this metaphorical significance comes in the old saying
The pen is mightier than the sword -- attributed to
Edward Bulwer-Lytton.
See also
Sword of Damocles, a moral anecdote where a sword suspended above a leader signifies the everpresent danger that accompanies high station.
In the following cases, the sword stands for arms in general, and has often been retained as a symbol even after it had in operational practice been replaced with firearms.
★ Swords form a suit in Latin suited
playing cards which include the Italian suited
Tarot decks (replaced by
spades in the
French deck of modern
playing cards and in modern French suited Tarot or
Tarock decks.) In
divinitory Tarot, the sword is often interpreted as representing air, as well as intelligence. It can also represent fire and will, and the military/noble classes of society.
★ The sword often functions as a symbol of
masculinity and particularly -since its form lends itself to this, especially in erect position- as a
phallic symbol of
virility.
★ The straight-bladed sword can be considered a representation of the Cross to Christian swordsmen, especially nobles and those who participated in the crusades.
★ Swords are also used as emblem or insignia (in or on formal dress such as uniforms, badges, various objects, even coats of arms), especially:
★
★ as symbol of power, such as a
Sword of State,
Sword of Mercy,
Curtana and
Sword of Justice (all can be used as
regalia, in England five in total during the coronation);
★
★ as symbol of armed force, or of a corps entitled to use force as the strong arm of the law, as in military and police insignia, or of a unit (e.g. regiment) of such a corps - as these are numerous, inevitably many variations and combinations (two crossed swords, or with a laurel wreath, crown, national or founder/patron's emblem etcetera) are used.
★
★ as a part of military officer's uniform. In the U.S., they are worn by Army, Navy, and Coast Guard officers. Marine officers and NCOs also wear a sword. Chaplains of all services are excepted. The ceremonial use of swords stems from the time when only gentlemen wore swords, thus making it a symbol of rank or position, which most military officers held).
★
★ on the
flag of
Saudi Arabia.
★ Its symbolic meaning is also reflected in the existence of prestigious titles, linking people of valor to it, such as:
★
★
Sword of Allah, in Arabic ''Saifullah''
★
★
Sword of Religion
★
★
Sword of the Faith
★
★
Sword of the State
★
★
Sword of War
★ It can be awarded as an honorary attribute, like a decoration, known as
sword of honour
★
★ Being dubbed a
knight is traditionally performed by being touched (originally, struck hard) on the shoulder with the flat of the sword of one's lord or another knight.
★ Crossed swords have their own particular symbolism, and are in the
Miscellaneous Symbols area of
Unicode at U+2694 (⚔):
★
★ On a map: a
site of battle
★
★ In
genealogy or
biography: signifying that a person was
killed in action
★ It is also not unusual for swords to represent reason - as in "cutting through" a series of elements in a problem in order to leave only those with proven relevance, most famously of
Alexander the Great cutting the
Gordian Knot.
★ Symbol for bravery for fighting a just cause; the sword of
Lady Justice symbolizes the strict application of justice in a neutral manner involving legal decisions.
★ The term ''double-edged sword'' can be used as an expression for anything that can simultaneously help and hinder, as when in swordfighting a person can increase his leverage by putting his hand on the blade, which might win the contest but also result in a wound.
★ The Japanese
Daisho-- a pair of swords, Katana and Wakizashi or Tanto -- symbolised the Samurai's strength and honour.
★ In
Finland a sword is given to doctors in the conformant ceremony. The sword symbolizes knowledge.
Famous swords
Apart from the aforementioned types of symbolic swords, the following individually named swords are noteworthy:
Swords in history
★
Sword of Gou Jian, a historical artifact from the
Spring and Autumn Period.
★
Zulfiqar - Sword of the Muslim Prophet
Muhammad,
Ali ibn Abu Talib and later
Husayn ibn Ali in the
Battle of Karbala.
★
Honjo Masamune, Sword of the
Tokugawa shogunate, a feudal military dictatorship of Japan established in 1603.
★
Jewelled Sword of Offering, Sword of
King George IV of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1820-1830).
★
Seven-Branched Sword, which
Wa received from
Baekje.
★
Snake Sword, which was wielded by the great king
Ashoka.
★ Sword of
Boabdil, Sword of the last Moorish King in Spain.
★
Tizona,
El Cid's personal sword which exists to this day in
Spain as a national treasure.
★ A
Mameluke sword was given by Prince
Hamet Karamali to
Presley O'Bannon, an officer in the
U.S. Marine Corps, during his participation in the
First Barbary War.
Swords of myth and legend
★
Arondight - Sword of
Lancelot
★
Attila the Hun's sword, which he claimed was the sword of Mars, the Roman god of war
★
Caladbolg - Sword of
Fergus mac Róich
★ Chandrahas (Moon blade) - King
Ravana's sword in the
Indian epic
Ramayana.
★
Claíomh Solais - Sword of Nuada Airgeadlámh, legendary king of Ireland
★
Crocea Mors - Sword of
Julius Caesar
★
Curtana - Sword of
Ogier the Dane , a legendary Danish hero, and a paladin of Charlemagne
★
Durendal - Sword of
Roland, one of
Charlemagne's paladins
★
Excalibur/Caliburn/Caledflwch - Sword of
King Arthur
★
Heaven's Will/The Will of Heaven/Thuan Thien/Thuận Thiên. Sword of
Vietnamese King Le Loi
★
Fragarach - Sword of
Manannan mac Lir and
Lugh Lamfada
★
Gram (
Balmung) (
Nothung) - Sword of
Siegfried, hero of the
Nibelungenlied
★
Hauteclere - Sword of
Olivier, a French hero depicted in the
Song of Roland
★
Hrunting - Sword of
Beowulf
★
Joyeuse - Sword of
Charlemagne
★
Kusanagi - Sword of
Susanoo
★
Shamshir-e Zomorrodnegar - Sword of
King Solomon
★
Tyrfing - Cursed sword that causes eventual death to its wielder and their kin
Swords of modern fiction
★ The
Lightsaber is a sword concept featured in the
Star Wars . Its popularity has inspired similar
laser based swords to have been used in other works of science fiction media.
★ from
J. R. R. Tolkien's
Middle-earth, including
Narsil (later ''
Andúril''),
Sting, Guthwine (sword of Éomer),
Herugrim (sword of King Théoden) and
Glamdring, sword of
Gandalf. Many, if not all, European fantasy swords found in literature today were inspired by these swords as Tolkien's works were unique for their time. However, similar mystical swords could be found far back into older mythology and religions.
★ The
Zanbatō is an incredibly large type of Japanese sword with a mysterious historical background that has inspired various fictional swords found in a wide variety of today's media including
anime television, books and
video games. Most unrealistically large swords such as the
Buster Sword or the
Tessaiga found in Japanese media today are inspired by the zanbatō.
★ The
Vorpal blade is a sword from the poem
Jabberwocky. It has since been adopted into modern media as a type of magic sword. Similar magical swords have become common in fantasy literature, games, and art, but this particular sword has had its name continuously mentioned and spread among many works.
★
Zar'roc is the sword used by Eragon in the Inheritance Trilogy by Christopher Paolini.
Misconceptions
Many medieval (and other) swords are depicted as large and heavy, on occasion reported to weigh as much as 20 kg or 44 pounds. However, according historical and archaeological finds, most swords weighed significantly less; swords weighing even as much as 6 pounds were unusually heavy and almost unused in battle.
[4]
Heavier swords may have served as Swords of State or Ornamental purposes, but it is unlikely they found use on the battle field.
Light swords such as a well-made cutlass weight around one pound. Most real medieval European swords weighed between 3 and 4 pounds regardless of whether they were made to be used with one or two hands. The unwieldiness of long two-handed swords comes from the distribution of their weight along a greater length instead of from any significant increase in weight. Swords are constructed to be this lightweight not only because it is necessary for their use, but also because a sword has to be made deliberately fat and useless in order to weigh much more.
See also
★
Types of swords
★
Swordsmanship
★
★
Historical European Martial Arts
★
★
★
German school of swordsmanship
★
★
★
Italian school of swordsmanship
★
★
Chinese martial arts
★
★
Eskrima (Filipino Martial Arts)
★
★
Fencing
★
★
Kenjutsu
★
sword-like objects
★
★
macuahuitl
★
Knight
★
Oakeshott typology
★
Waster
★
Sword making
★
List of sword manufacturers
External links
★
Featured articles relating to the sword at myArmoury.com
★
An Introduction to the Sword (myArmoury.com article)
★
How Were Swords Really Made? by John Clements (ARMA)
★
How Stuff Works: How Sword Making Works
★
Swords around the World
★
The Oakeshott Institute
★
Japanese Sword Arts FAQ
★
Technique of Katana Sword Drawing - IAI-DO
★
The Association for Renaissance Martial Arts
★
Medieval Sword Resource Site (vikingsword.com)
★
Swordsman Spirit, Fansite to swords and fictional swordwielders
★
Sword Forum International
★
myArmoury.com
★
Further reading
★ Kao Ch'ü-hsün (1959/60). "THE CHING LU SHRINES OF
HAN SWORD WORSHIP IN HSIUNG NU RELIGION." ''Central Asiatic Journal'' 5, 1959-60, pp. 221-232.
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