Germanic Sword of the Migration Age

[Jack Loomes]

*Editor's Note: As with all Sword-Site entries the original accompanying text is provided. In this case please note that it has been digitally translated by Google from the original German.

L 83 cm

Sword, germanic / Upper Italian, 4/5 Century archaeological find. Bronze vessel, mushroom-shaped pommel, Y-like decorative element statements with blue stone (lapis lazuli). Width block or bar-like guard (grip block), gold-rimmed versions for two other missing gems, X-like trim. Tapered, rounded handle, divided by three horizontal ribs. Double-edged lenticular blade (L 68.5 cm), iron strongly corr.

The Germans wore originally single-edged weapons. When you advance to the west, they learned the Roman, double-edged swords know. The swords of the migration period are usually processed very carefully and colored jewelry in the form of precious stones or enamel was very popular.

See Seitz, Edged Weapons I, pp. 74 ff Similar swords with bronze handles from the 4/5 Century see Oakeshott, Records of the Medieval Sword, pp. 21 and Lebedynsky, Les Armes de l'Europe centrale traditional, p 14 Behmer, The double-edged sword of Germanic Migration Period, Plate VIII - XIV

Source: www.fischerauktionen.ch/auktion/objektDetails.aspx?mode=highlight&catid=56411&oid=57234