[Maurizio D'Angelo]

I need your help.
Non-native speakers, I have doubts about the meaning of a text by Ada Brun Hoffmeier.
Here the text:

" The second type is the sword with the flat, horizontal,
circular or lozange shaped plate in stead of pommel. The Plate
sometimes has a little bud at the top and a perforation in the plate to a
thong with a tassel. The cross-bar is short and thick,
straight or curved, it may even be in shape of an oval or circular plate.
Swords of this type are known not only from Russian Crimean and South
tombs, but they are well-known from such illuminations as for
instance the manuscript of Cosmas Indicopleustes in the Vatican Library"

In particular, the word tassel may refer to the picture of the warrior whose sword hanging by a horsehair?
This picture is taken from another book.
Or it refers only to the second photo published here?
For me, this difference is important.
thanks in advance

[Maurizio D'Angelo]

After some research I found the direct source of the statement above.
MILITARY EQUIPMENT IN THE BYZANTINE MANUSCRIPT OF SCYLITZES page. 96. Gladius, V (1966)
This time, drawings, there are .
In Italian we have 3 different words for the 3 designs. It is worth recalling that Mrs. Hoffmeier was Norwegian. non-native language.

The second type is the sword with the flat, horizontal,
circular or lozange shaped plate in stead of pommel. The plate
sometimes has a little bud at the top and a perforation in the plate to a
thong with a tassel (Fig. 16, 2-3).

Ciao
Maurizio

[Luke Zechman]

This is good stuff. I have not been able to find a whole lot of information of Byzantine swords. Is there any reason that surviving example of Byzantine swords are so rare? Most of the information i have found or that Maurizio has provided comes from period art work.

[Maurizio D'Angelo]