Posts: 1,757 Location: Storvreta, Sweden
Sat 03 Dec, 2005 10:34 pm
Nicola,
This is an interesting sword!
Please tell where it was found, if you can.
There are features on the hilt and blade that makes me think of celtic or roman inlfuences.
Perjhaps it *is* a celtic or roman sword?!?
The guard and grip looks to be organic material. The guard looks to be firbrous in the direction of the blade and it seems to me there is a crescent or bell shaped cut out or curve in the guard as it meets the blade (like seen on some late celtic swords). Is there also a hint of phallic "kidney shaped" swellings in the guard, like that of the "guard " of a
ballock dagger? If so, this is also a feature you can see on roman and celtic swords.
The grip seems to show some transverse lines just close to the guard (some kind of textile wrap?) but this is rather unclear. Could this be a washer or some remains of decorative lines?
The pommel is also very interesting. It seems to be a rather thck and fat lens shape, like that of a early/high medieval sword (possibly with a bulging, somewhat angular outline?). It is not clear if the pommel is metallic or organic.
If it is not a very ealry sword, then it is an interesting survivor of these ancient shapes.
I might be reading far too much into these pictures.
Very interesting!
Please tell us more!
Do you have more pictures that shows some more details of the hilt?