Description
Book SynopsisThis book assesses the results of recent metallographic examination of 45 sword blades (mid-2nd century BC to early-16th century) from the territory of what is now Poland. Pre-Roman blades were usually made from one piece of metal of varying quality (better quality items were perhaps imported). Most high quality and complex technology Roman blades were in all probability of Roman provenance, while some low quality one-piece examples may have been made locally. The Migration Period and Early Middle Ages witnessed the greatest diversification of technological solutions. However it is much more difficult to define the provenance of blades based on their technology in these periods. The range of technologies in use strongly decreased in the High and Late Middle Ages.
Table of ContentsIntroduction; Distribution and Typochronology of Finds: Geography of Finds; Typochronology of Finds; The Pre-Roman Period; The Roman Period and the Early Migration Period; The Migration Period and the Early Medieval Period; Blades of Type X (E. Oakeshott) and its variants; Type X, A, 1 (E. Oakeshott); Type X/Xa, A/B, 3 (E. Oakeshott); Type X/XII, B, 1/1a (E. Oakeshott); Type XI, A, 1 (E. Oakeshott); The High Medieval Period and the Late Medieval Period; Type XIIa, I, 2 (E. Oakeshott); Blade Type XIIIa (E. Oakeshott); Type XIIIa, J, 1/2 (E. Oakeshott); Type XIIIa, I, 5 (E. Oakeshott); Type XIIIa/XVIa, H/H1/I, 1/7 (E. Oakeshott); Type XIIIa, Z2b, 5 (E. Oakeshott); Type XIIa/XVIa, I/J (E. Oakeshott); Type XVIa, G/G3, 5 (E. Oakeshott); Type XVIa, H/H1, 1/2 (E. Oakeshott); Type XVIa, I/I1, 1/1b (E. Oakeshott); Type XVIa, T3, 9 (variant); Blade Type XVII (E. Oakeshott); Type XVII, G/H/H1, 1/2/7; Type XVII, T4/T5, 2/7; Type XIX (variant), T6, 6 (variant) (E. Oakeshott); Type XX (variant), T, 1a. Stamps, Marks and Inscriptions on the Examined Swords: The Early Medieval Period; The High Medieval Period and the Late Medieval Period; Marks on blades. Technological Examinations; Methods of obtaining iron and steel in Antiquity and the Middle Ages; Typochronology of sword blade construction; Methods of research; Classification of sword blade construction types; The Pre-Roman Period; The Roman Period and the Early Migration Period; The Migration Period and the Early Medieval Period; The High Medieval and Late Medieval Periods; Sax blades; Technology and provenance of sword blades; Technology and blade types; Technology of sword blades from the Pre-Roman Period to the Early Modern Age. Conclusions and Suggestions for Further Research. Appendix. Bibliography.
