A blade for coments; old, early, or very early

Dmitry · 3rd August 2010, 01:31 AM

Was browsing MAURICE MAINDRON - LES ARMES, pondering how bad my French really was, when I saw this seax. Looks quite similar to yours.

fernando · 3rd August 2010, 04:32 PM

Very interesting Dmitry ... thank you.
Amazingly and for the first time i see a similar tang and pommel, but the blade projection doesn't seem to belong to the same family ... to my eyes.
I find the book itself very interesting, also.
Have just ordered a copy.
Thanks again for your interest.

Bryan.H · 6th August 2010, 08:28 PM

Greetings Fernando,

The blade shape and profile reminded me of a blade I'd seen some time ago, but a modern military knife. I can't help thinking that the blade shape may be historically featured on the Iberian peninsula and be a traditional shape very specific to a particular area. Aitor hunting knives have a stylistically similar blade shape also.

Here's the Spanish military knife I recalled..

Sorry I can't help further, just thinking out loud!

fernando · 6th August 2010, 08:38 PM

I see what you mean, Brian.
Thanks a lot for the hint

.

Dmitry · 7th August 2010, 02:48 AM

*

fernando · 7th August 2010, 02:11 PM

Quite distant ... i would say

.

Bryan.H · 7th August 2010, 02:51 PM

This blade still intrigues me, and I'd love to know it's precise archaeological context. Stratigraphy is crucial to dating this piece I think, as the land has more than likely been subject to human habitation and invasions and armed conflict from Romans to the armies of Wellington and Napoleon.

I found a reference to 4th Century roman knives, that are smaller than your example Fernando, however the tang and pommel/ tang button appear similar.

http://www.comitatus.net/Documents/R...Atkinson-2.pdf

These are from the Romano-british Lankhills cemetery.

For what it's worth, I struggle to see how the blade profile could eventuate from the grinding down or sharpening of a blade over a long period of time. It could well be a butchers knife of some antiquity, as even today, the length is comparable, the blade shape not so different (wider at the tip and broad), and the hand actions involved in butchering have not changed greatly over time..

Dmitry · 7th August 2010, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fernando

Quite distant ... i would say

.

Read post #11.

7th August 2010, 02:48 AM	#5
Dmitry Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 607	* Attached Images

7th August 2010, 02:11 PM	#6
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Quite distant ... i would say . Attached Images

7th August 2010, 02:51 PM	#7
Bryan.H Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Australia Posts: 51	Possible Gallo-Roman reference? This blade still intrigues me, and I'd love to know it's precise archaeological context. Stratigraphy is crucial to dating this piece I think, as the land has more than likely been subject to human habitation and invasions and armed conflict from Romans to the armies of Wellington and Napoleon. I found a reference to 4th Century roman knives, that are smaller than your example Fernando, however the tang and pommel/ tang button appear similar. http://www.comitatus.net/Documents/R...Atkinson-2.pdf These are from the Romano-british Lankhills cemetery. For what it's worth, I struggle to see how the blade profile could eventuate from the grinding down or sharpening of a blade over a long period of time. It could well be a butchers knife of some antiquity, as even today, the length is comparable, the blade shape not so different (wider at the tip and broad), and the hand actions involved in butchering have not changed greatly over time..

3rd August 2010, 01:31 AM	#1
Dmitry Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 607	Was browsing MAURICE MAINDRON - LES ARMES, pondering how bad my French really was, when I saw this seax. Looks quite similar to yours. Attached Images

3rd August 2010, 04:32 PM	#2
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Very interesting Dmitry ... thank you. Amazingly and for the first time i see a similar tang and pommel, but the blade projection doesn't seem to belong to the same family ... to my eyes. I find the book itself very interesting, also. Have just ordered a copy. Thanks again for your interest.

6th August 2010, 08:28 PM	#3
Bryan.H Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Australia Posts: 51	Greetings Fernando, The blade shape and profile reminded me of a blade I'd seen some time ago, but a modern military knife. I can't help thinking that the blade shape may be historically featured on the Iberian peninsula and be a traditional shape very specific to a particular area. Aitor hunting knives have a stylistically similar blade shape also. Here's the Spanish military knife I recalled.. Sorry I can't help further, just thinking out loud!

6th August 2010, 08:38 PM	#4
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	I see what you mean, Brian. Thanks a lot for the hint .