Here is a paper that you might find interesting - The ‘Living’ Sword in Early Medieval Northern Europe: An Interdisciplinary Study, by Susan Brunning

http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/1416279/1/S%20Brun...ol%201.pdf

I've only just started but it's an interesting read for sure. Thanks.

Something along the way in European history destroyed the symbology of the sword and only traces live on. Still quite alive in other cultures such as Japan, as the author points out. I look forward to reading more of it. The bibliography alone is a valuable resource.