Hi all, It seems that very few scabbards for 2-handed swords survive. I know of three in Scotland, some in Schloss Erbach in Germany and one in Solothurn, Switzerland. If you know of any others, and whether they were attached to a belt or not (if so how), please let me know.
Thanks, Neil

I do not know where to find 2-handed sword scabbards these days. Maybe there are lots of them throughout Europe.

I appreciate your point, Philip, but there were lots of them originally. The inventories of several German and Swiss arsenals refer to them in considerable numbers and even complain about those which are missing, and these references do apply to the late 16th century- early 17th "beidenhander", as they were called at the time. There are also illustrations of 2-handers being carried scabbarded in the Swiss chronicles, these are 15th-early 16th century, though. Belts are mentioned as well though it is not clear how they were worn or how the scabbards were attached to them.
There may well be very few survivors but I would like to know of any that anyone does come across.
Cheers, Neil

Illuminated manuscripts that depict Great swords (XII-XIII subtypes) reveal that the scabbards were carried on the hip just like single handed-sword scabbards. The multi-strap suspension for later two-handers did not develop until later in the medieval period, not sure exactly when.

Many modern reproductions of 13th-14th C Great swords come with scabbards and suspensions that are more appropriate for 15th-16th C two-handed swords.

http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t...highlight=

Here's a sword that looks like a XIIIa

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