Medieval sword - opinions needed

[kai]

Hello Andreas,

Regarding the less dense inclusions inside the pommel: You forgot to flip your red markings when viewing the other side of the pommel. Could you post corrected pics, please?

Regards,
Kai

[AHorsa]

Originally Posted by kai

Hello Andreas,

Regarding the less dense inclusions inside the pommel: You forgot to flip your red markings when viewing the other side of the pommel. Could you post corrected pics, please?

Regards,
Kai

Hi Kai,

I reflected / flipped (hope that is the correct translation) the picture of the other side of the pommel. So it should be fitting correctly.

Kind regards
Andreas

[AHorsa]

Dear all

I would like to update this older topic. Over the past 1.5 years, I have spent countless hours examining the sword, showing it to numerous experts and having it analysed. I would like to share the results with you here.

Metallographic examination:
A section of the surface was cut (polished and etched) and examined micrographically. It is bloomery steel with a medium carbon content. The number of slag inclusions is rather low -> high-quality steel was used. No evidence of hardening could be found at the examined site. This is the rule rather than the exception for medieval swords. The Widmannstättsche structures indicate overheating during forging

XRF analysis:
Two XRF analyses were performed, including on the surface exposed by the cut. The steel of the blade has a manganese content of ~0.8-1%. Similarly high manganese contents can be found in early medieval swords, among others (cf. publications by Lehmann, Williams, etc.). Modern trace elements such as Cu and Ni are absent. Manganese improves the properties of the steel, but was not added intentionally at the time; rather, it was present in manganese-rich ores. Interestingly, manganese was also detected in the crossguard, but not in the pommel.

Microscopic examination of the corrosion layers:
Optical microscopic examination of the corrosion surface reveals clearly defined, multi-phase iron mineralisation, which is characteristic of wrought iron artefacts that have been stored in the ground for a long time. The structures observed consist of a complex composite of different iron oxide and iron oxyhydroxide phases. These phases occur in a heterogeneous, clod-like and laminated texture, which was created by repeated oxidation and reduction cycles within the corrosion crust.
In some deeper areas, mineral deposits in the form of tiny grains of sand were found.
Occasionally, microscopic black, glass-like beads could be identified. They are located in rust craters and are not magnetic. These are most likely molten slag inclusions that have been exposed by the corrosion of the surrounding material.
The corrosion layer(s) and their structure differ significantly between the blade, tang, pommel and crossguard.

Attached are some pictures of the findings described above.

BR
Andreas

[Multumesc]

Is it possible to be the Coat of arms of the House of Báthory?

[AHorsa]

Originally Posted by Multumesc

Is it possible to be the Coat of arms of the House of Báthory?

That would be nice, but it is just a chip/flake that has corroded away

[Lee]

I suspect this sword is, at this point, one of the most closely examined and analyzed swords out there, with nothing yet denting my enthusiasm towards it.

Below are the remains of a sword of similar form bearing an +INNOMINIDOMINI+ iron inlay; the ruler is 4 inches:

[AHorsa]

Thank you, Lee. I love the sword fragment you're showing. On the other side of the crossguard, it also has a deep chip, similar to mine.
I wonder if anyone has done a comparative study of corrosion layers, including fakes, and if there are any fakes that show a similarly complex layer structure.

Best regards
Andreas

[Lee]

Here is an image of one end of the guard of another Oakeshott type Xa sword, specifically Xa.3 in Oakeshott's Records of the Medieval Sword. Unfortunately, this image really does not well represent the only remaining undercleaned spot on this sword, but their is some similarity with the end of the guard shown in AHorsa's previous post.

[AHorsa]

Thank you for the image, Lee. There is also a nice example with similar corrosion found in Normandy (s. Fig. 11 and 13):

https://books.openedition.org/purh/17465

A contemporary depiction of a sword with that sort of wheel pommel can be found at the tomb of Heinrich der Löwe / Henry the Lion in the cathedrale of Brunswick. The monument likely was build shortly after his dead in 1195 (although some historians date it a few decades later, but there is strong evidence of an early origin).

Inspired by Lee´s sword, I attached a (removable) grip to give it back a bit of its originally appearance. Atteched an image.

Best regards
Andreas

[Lee]

Ewart Oakeshott would surely have approved of your grip reconstruction! It looks nice and also lets you "feel" the sword in your hand as a sword.

Thank you for the link to the article and the photos of the statue; I had not seen these before.