[David Wilson]

Yes, another pointy metal (bronze, in this case) object showed up at my place today.... a Canaanite-style "sickle sword" (also known by it's Egyptian name, Khopesh) from Manning Imperial in Down Under....
http://www.manningimperial.com/item.php?item_...group_id=1

I'd been wanting a Khopesh for the longest time. Sadly, nobody made any, for the longest time. A while back I visited Manning Imperial's website, where they had an "Egyptian Chopper" for sale. I thought it was nice, and I would put it on my list. But it wasn't quite what I wanted from a Khopesh (it was a bit wide and "chunky" looking). Well, more recently I revisited the Manning Imperial site and, lo and behold, there it was -- a "Canaanite Sword" -- in other words, a khopesh similar to that which I'd been looking for! And not only did they have it illustrated on their site, but they had one in stock!

The Khopesh seems to have been a fairly common edged weapon of the bronze-age middle east. As it's design indicates, it is a single-edged sword meant for slashing or hacking, almost like an axe. The Manning Imperial sword seems to be partially based on a "sickle sword" pictured in the Osprey/Men-At-Arms book Ancient Armies of the Middle East by Terence Wise, on page 23. This particular sword is dated from 1570-1200 BC, and the caption says that the Egyptians possibly learned how to make the Khopesh from the Canaanites. There are other Khopesh swords of similar appearance and dimensions; one of the best known was found in Tutankhamun's tomb.

I wish I could tell you how the replica compares with an original; alas, I don't really know as I've never handled an original. But I can give my impressions of this reproduction....

Here are some numbers:
OA Length: 25.5 inches
Blade length: 19.5 inches
Hilt length: 6 inches
Grippable length: about 4.25 inches
Blade width (at ricasso): 1 inch (it gets up to 1.5 inches at the widest points, at the base of the curve and toward the tip of the curve)
Weight: 2 lbs, 10 oz.
PoB/CoG: 3.5 inches
CoP: Don't know. Can't measure it with any certainty. The sword is very stiff, it transmits very little vibration. I'm thinking either that the curve may be one big "sweet spot", or that it's near the middle of the curve (about 12 or 13 inches). Both those are SWAGs, however.

Appearance wise, it's not the fanciest khopesh I've ever seen, but there aren't too many real "fancy" ones actually available. It was obviously cast from a bright, shiny bronze -- there are little "casting defects" such as rough spots and "bubble pits" at various points on the blade. The blade is sharpened on the curve and for a little bit on the back edge. The grip is fairly comfortable, large enough for someone with fairly large hands. The "grip tongue" has been fitted with some kind of light-colored wood; I don't know what kind nor how it got stuck there.
The weight is okay. It is not as heavy as the Del Tin bronze clunkers nor is it as light as a Bronze-Age Foundry sword. The balance is nice. It feels like you could smite Canaanites, Jebusites, Amorites, Moabites, Hittites, and other-ites most effectively. The length seems to be in keeping with most khopesh (they seem to vary around 20 to 25 inches in length. The "King Tut Adult sword" is about 23.5 inches long (FYI, there was also a much smaller khopesh found in Tut's tomb, about 15 inches total length, quite possibly something from his not-too-distant youth)). There is no distal taper worth noting (did the original khopeshes have DT? Does anyone know?).

Anyway, I'm quite content with the Manning Imperial Canaanite Sword. It's definitely different, and a decent replica of an important piece in the history and development of the sword -- and of the early peoples who helped shape the foundations of the modern world.

[Patrick Kelly]

Very neat stuff Dave, thanks for posting it.

I'm really glad to see someone producing early period swords like this. This one looks to be much more graceful in its proportions than some repros that I've seen of this type.

[James Byrnes]

That's a cool looking piece. Not really much else I can say, other then it stirs something within me, racial memory perhaps? But I really like it. Congrats!




James

[Roger Hooper]

I really like that khopesh - simple with good lines to it.

[Geoff Wood]

Wow, really good looking sword. Not a type I've ever had an interest in, until now. I'd like to own that. Any chance of other pictures from different angles? The curve looks a lot 'flatter' than others I vaguely recall, but I'll have to go back and check now. Thanks for posting this. Another one added to the list of short swords I want to get.

[Joe Fults]

Looks like a very nice addition to your collection. I also visited the Manning weebsite and noticed it looks updated from last time I was there. Some interesting stuff.

[Chuck Perino]

I like the Khopesh Dave, very graceful looking!

I also like their Hod Hill sword, quality-wise, where does Manning Imperial fall? Del tin quality?, A&A?

Also, how was the ordering process from Oz?

[David Wilson]

I'll have to get some pics of my own (that one is off the Manning website). The curvature does seem to be a little more shallow than in most actual examples I've seen (but not all -- I've seen a couple with similar rate of curvature).

In terms of level of quality, since this is the only Manning Imperial product I've ever seen and handled, I can't say much, except that I find it to be far superior to the Del Tin bronze swords.

Ordering was fairly easy. After they told me they had it, I went over the various payment options they had listed and decided to send a personal check in US funds (this would include S&H and a minor surcharge for conversion of the check to Aussie funds). Combined with airmail, it's still not a bad deal (the exchange rate is definitely in favor of the US). A couple weeks later the package arrived. No problems!

[Nathan Bell]