Twisted rods

[Gustav]

Alan, thank you for the elaborate response!

I believe the blade from #1 surely is 19th cent. and perhaps could be earlier. The Warangan finish on it is an old one, surely pre-WWII.

Regarding Roman swords and pattern welding - there is a series of books dedicated to Illerup Adal finds. Illerup Adal is a bog in Danemark with spectacular deposit of offerings, and one of the most important sources for well preserved elite Roman spatha. The spatha from the site can be dated around 200 AD, along with 90% of weapon finds.

Pattern welding with twisted rods, often more than two, is among the less complex patterns found there. Others include welding of separate, pre-forged parts, similar to Pamor Poleng, or using braiding. Work of such complexity did appear again only since the second half of 19th cent., true for many things Roman.

Pattern welding with twisted rods did appear even on foot soldiers Gladius and Pugio. The problem is the possibility to recognize the pattern. Illerup Adal is an unique situation, mostly blade surface of Roman, not to speak about earlier swords, doesn't allow to see any traces of it without using X-ray.