So what did Europeans do with their swords at home? -- myArmoury.com

George Hill

So I come home from a long day out in the year 900, 1100, 1300, 1500, and 1600. I'm of a class that allows/requires me to carry a sword around. I get home, I take off my sword. What do I do with it?

I've been reading about hanging them over the bed in Icelandic Sagas, How would that be done? (If anyone knows...)

What about in the later periods? Hang the sword belt off a peg perhaps? I wouldn't think they would stand it up in a corner. There was a movie on Shakespeare's life, (Quite fictional mind you) where there is a comment about a bad servant who did not hang up his master's sword. It got me thinking about this issue.

I'm told the Japanese horizontal sword rack was used back in the old days. So what's the European do?

So when I'm indoors, at home, at the castle, or shieldhall, where does my sword go?

Oh, I'm putting this in historical, as it's a question on historical objects for storage, even if not weapons. I think this is the right fourm.

Randall Moffett · Posted: Wed 28 Feb, 2007 11:53 pm Post subject:

All kidding aside. I always imagined the sword was taken out of its sheath for storage, cleaned and stuck in a cabinent as some illustrations show with armour.

RPM[/i]

Nick Trueman · Posted: Thu 01 Mar, 2007 1:53 am Post subject:

Hi

Probably treated like how a modern firearm owner would treat there weapon. Wipe it down and store it in a safe but yet handy place.
If the sword has not left the sheath then maybe a quick wipe of the hilt ( ferrous) with rag oil ,sheep's wool ect.

Remember also a sword handled on a regular basis will keep quite bright with constant hand friction ( that sounds bad but I couldnt think of any other way to put it) As long as it gets a nice wipe down later to remove skin acids.

As for hanging a sword in the viking age, have a look at some reconstructed viking long huts, there are lots of places to hang a sword.

personally I keep my swords in there scabbards (wood/leather, linen liner) inside a reconstruction of a viking chest. I keep them oiled with lanolin spray ( this version doesnt go greasy sticky like some do). And check them once a fortnight.

Cool

Nick

Axel Pettersson

John Cooksey · Posted: Thu 01 Mar, 2007 11:22 am Post subject:

That's a darned good question.
I imagine that a lot depends on the role of the sword in your life. Is it your only sword? Or is it one of the many that you could pick, depending on the "day's usage"?
If it's an arming sword or the like, used for battle but not as an everyday "accessory", I bet it would get stored with or close to your armor.
A riding sword or a rapier, maybe beside the bedding?

In my house, at least, the swords do stand in corners. And hang on horizontal racks in multiple rooms, and one short sword even sometimes lays across a bedside table.
The guns are smaller, for the most part, so they go under seat cushions, under bed pillows, and in handy drawers beside the desk. (grin)

Sean Flynt · Posted: Thu 01 Mar, 2007 12:09 pm Post subject:

From the Codex Manesse, 13th c. See this thread for more info on the CM:
http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t...ht=manesse

George Hill · Posted: Thu 01 Mar, 2007 12:41 pm Post subject:

Sean Flynt · Posted: Thu 01 Mar, 2007 12:48 pm Post subject:

Yeah, this is very cool. How often do we find an elegant, historically accurate solution for less than $1 in materials and maybe ten minutes of work? Cut dowel. Drill hole. Insert dowel. Hang sword.

Steven H · Posted: Thu 01 Mar, 2007 1:23 pm Post subject:

Sean Flynt · Posted: Thu 01 Mar, 2007 1:27 pm Post subject:

Steve Grisetti · Posted: Thu 01 Mar, 2007 3:10 pm Post subject:

This is a little older time frame, but we have the sword storage example of Dionysius II, tyrant of Sicily, as demonstrated to his buddy, Damocles:

Peter Bosman · Posted: Fri 02 Mar, 2007 12:03 pm Post subject:

Jeroen Zuiderwijk · Industry Professional

Steve Grisetti · Posted: Sat 03 Mar, 2007 11:24 am Post subject:

Jean Thibodeau · Posted: Sat 03 Mar, 2007 3:16 pm Post subject:

Peter Bosman · Posted: Sun 04 Mar, 2007 12:42 am Post subject:

The sword of Damocles is a stylish representation of 'Shit Happens'.

In Latin two appearantly contradictory sayings cover the same thing from opposite angles
- memento mori
- carpe diem

One can put the phenomena into a large scientific frame and then it is called a Complex Adaptive System. This explains why shit happens Wink

HC

Jim Mearkle · Posted: Sun 04 Mar, 2007 8:50 am Post subject:

Peter Bosman · Posted: Mon 05 Mar, 2007 12:54 am Post subject:

Lafayette C Curtis · Posted: Wed 07 Mar, 2007 3:53 am Post subject:

Peter Bosman · Posted: Fri 09 Mar, 2007 1:30 am Post subject:

In the process of applying for a weapons permit I read up on the applicable laws. Since I want flintlock arms this had proven to be very interesting.
The present law on arms was first passed as a royal decree in 1884.
That law was a modernised rewrite of a far older law which was a rewrite of... whereas the basic structure of it did not change and goes back to the earliest wide-spread appearance of the arquebus.
This in effect means that the structure of the present day permit system applied over here was thought of before Columbus thought of sailing west to reach the east Laughing Out Loud

Now as to the thread of the topic I tripped over another interesting detail. The common spanish word for a cupboard with doors is 'armario', which has its origins in a sturdy lockable cabinet for arms which also was obligatory before the americas were 'discovered'.

Peter