More information about so called Broa sword

Sidney · 22nd November 2009, 08:47 PM

Hallo

Do you have anybody more information about sword from Broa, Fare island, Gotland? /See below/. I would like to make exact copy of this weapon, but I have only few images. Do you know any citation of literaure, descriptions, pictures etc?

Thanks Sidney

kisak · 24th November 2009, 04:00 AM

The only help I can provide is to point out that "Fare island" should probably be Fårö ("Sheep Island").

Jim McDougall · 25th November 2009, 12:52 AM

Hi Sidney,
Interesting question, and I'm curious....what reference is this photo from? Is there any text describing this weapon, which primarily seems 'Petersen Type I'.

This weapon itself is noted in the holdings of the museum in Stockholm. It would be interesting if they could add more detail.

Here, the site itself evolved from the original forums on Viking swords with Dr. Lee Jones. The book which he helped produce by Ian Pierce titled "Swords of the Viking Age" is a fantastic resource on these swords. Specifically on this exact sword, I have not found other reference as yet. Hopefully those here more familiar with this field might help.

Please tell us more OK?

All the best,
Jim

Jeff Pringle · 25th November 2009, 04:09 PM

The Historiska Museet has done an awesome job digitizing details about some of the items in their collection. It is cool when a museum puts good photos of their collection on line, but the SHM takes it way farther than that. Here is one of the photos of the sword in question -
http://mis.historiska.se/mis/sok/bild.asp?uid=20997
Following the inventory # 19734:36, you can find your way to images of the hand-written collection notes as well as the typed inventory notes and images of the sword and the other items from that grave and that dig. For sword research it is an amazing trove of information.
http://mis.historiska.se/mis/sok/invnr.asp?invnr=19734
Alas, I don’t really read Swedish, but even so it was easy to run down some details on the sword.
Inventory #19734:36
Find place: Gotland, Halla, Broa
Viking period, acquired 1931.
The handwritten notes for the grave describe two swords and one spear etc. .
This is presumably the first sword, described as broken in three parts (“tre delar” in the notes next to the photo).
(photo 1)
L- 102cm
Hilt? L - 17.1cm
Over ? L- 9cm
Under? L- 10.5cm
Blade width – 6.5cm
The other sword is described as having a type H hilt and the drawing shows more breaks (photo 2)

Moving to the Museum’s Iron Age catalog, the grave goods are described differently, the second sword has lost its hilt (photo 3)

This blade has the right inventory #, and is in more pieces so must be the second sword’s blade (photo 4)

The ‘Fig. 11’ mentioned in the museum notes is also in the Järnålderskatalog, and shows a side view of the pommel. (photo 5)

I love this museum!!

Jim McDougall · 25th November 2009, 05:19 PM

Now thats some impressive research!!! Well done Jeff and thank you!
I agree, that museum is fantastic, and its really great to see some interest in these early swords, after all our 'namesake' around here

Viking sword.

Sidney thank you for posting this, and I hope you'll keep us posted on your project.

All best regards,
Jim

fearn · 25th November 2009, 08:27 PM

Hi Sidney,

If you're really interested in making an exact copy, what I'd really suggest doing is going to Stockholm with a caliper micrometer and making plan measurements off the blade. Photos and notes will only go so far, and what you're missing is a three-dimensional description of the piece. The museum may be interested if you're willing to give them a copy of your data, and/or photos of your replica sword. They might find that useful in their educational work.

Albion Swords uses this approach, and you might want to contact them for advice on how to "take the lines" off a museum sword.

Best,

F

Sidney · 1st December 2009, 03:25 PM

Thank you very much

I will try to send a questions to Stockholm muzeum. I dont have enough time and money go to Stockholm

Your information are very interesting and impressiv. I will work up it.

It take a lot of time, but I wil glad to post my project after finishing.

Best regards Sidney

Sidney · 29th January 2010, 12:14 PM

I am adding any informations, which I have discovered

Information are from sources of the Stockholm Historiska Museet (SHM) and from personel communication with mrs Charlotte Hedenstierna Jonson , 1:e antikvarie - Senior Curator of SHM

http://mis.historiska.se/mis/sok/bild.asp?uid=20997

http://mis.historiska.se/mis/sok/invnr.asp?invnr=19734

Blade

Blade is preserved fragmentary, see pic. 1. There are no traces of pattern welding on the blade. But the condition of the blade is however quite poor and it is difficult to determine any original structure.

Pic. 1 – fragments of sword

Dimensions

assumed from SHM

Whole lenght 102cm

Lenght of the lower guard 105 mm

Lenght of the uppre guard 90 mm

Lenght of whole hilt 171 mm

Width od blade 65 mm

Thickness of lower guard 26mm

Thickness of upper guard 30mm

Individual dimensions are in right proportions

Calculated dimensions

As a reference was a lenght of the lower guard. See pic 2 and 3, which are in scale 1:1.

http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...redu%201_1.jpg

Pic. 2 anteroposterior wiev, scale 1:1

http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...boku%201_1.jpg

Pic 3 lateral wiev, scale 1:1

Height of lower guard 21mm

Height of pommel 33mm
Width of the foot of pommel 79mm
Thickness of the foot of pommel 28mm

Height of upper guard 21-22mm

Width of the handle in the lower part 30mm, in the upper part 19mm
Lenght of handle 90mm

Thickness of the handle in the upper part 3mm, in the middle 4mm

Shape

See pic 2,3,4,5,6,7 – different wievs of the sword.

http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...arevny%201.jpg

Pic 4 Color wiev of sword

http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...arevny%202.jpg

Pic. 5 Another color wiev

http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...arevny%203.jpg

Pic. 6 Another color wiev

http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...d%20CB%205.jpg

Pic 7 Blackandwhite wiev

Sword type H

Both guards have quite pointed ends. According to pic 3, the faces of guards are ligth convex.

From below are visible rivets fastening pammel to upper guard. Between pommel and upper guard is visible notch wide about 2mm, see pic 8. Pommel sharply taper to a point in anteroposterior wiev, in lateral wiev is curvature convex. Edge of pommel is not sharp, but with narrow facet about 3mm wide, see pic 14. Lower and upper guard are continously eliptic with pointed ends, see pic. 7a.

http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...%20zespodu.jpg

Pic. 7a Wiev from below

http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...%20hlavice.jpg

Pic 8 Detail of pommel and notch between pommel and upper guard

http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...vice%201_1.jpg

Pic. 9 Pommel in scale 1:1

http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...ice%202xzv.jpg

Pic.10 Pommel in scale 2:1.

http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...%204x%20zv.jpg

Pic. 11 Pommel in scale 4:1.

http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...tity%201_1.jpg

Pic. 12 Lower guard in scale 1:1

Decoration

All faces are adorned with tausiert decoration from interlacing lozenges from red and white metal. Width of lozenges are 6-7mm, height also 6-7mm, and width of connecting strips are about 1-2mm.

There are four rectangular dots in every lozenges, in the picture 13 are highlighted by yellow dots.

Edge of pommel is adorned by narrow lines in shape of letter V from red and white metal. Width of this strips is about 0,75mm, see pic 14, where are in scale 4:1 .

Special is executed passage of decoration to ends of guards – see pic. 8, 11 and 15.

Decoration of the upper and lower faces of the upper and lower guard is formed by plating with the yelow metal, see pic. 7a.

http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...ny%20bronz.jpg

Pic. 13 Pommel with highlited „dotes“

http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...oku%204xzv.jpg

Obr. 14 Wiev of decoration of pommel from side, scale 4:1

http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...%202x%20zv.jpg

Obr. 15 Detail of the adornment of the lower guard in scale of 2:1

Material of decoration – according to SHM, white metal is certainly silver, red metal is copper. Today visible copper is only foundation for ultimate surface created by golden copper alloy. Pure copper was not visible at all. Traces of golden copper alloy are visible on the faces of the pommel and guards – see pic. 4 and 11. Upper and lower faces of the upper and lower guard are also plated probabaly by the same golden copper alloy – see pic. 7a.

„Dots“ lying in every lozenges were probably from another colour copper alloy than the rest of the hilt. Most of the rectangular dots however show the underlying reddish copper. Nevertheless, as for the materials of the decoration of the hilt it is difficult to determine the contents without a SEM analysis.

The groove between pommel and upper guard / see pic. 8/ indicates that there possibly has been a braid or twisted wire between the upper guard and the pommel but there are no visible remains. For example you could see pic. 16, 17, and wider one in 19.

http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...%20zdobeni.jpg

Pic. 16 Sword from Novgorod with copper alloy plating and twisted wire in notch between pommel and upper guard

http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...eny%20drat.jpg

Pic. 17 Sword from Kilmainheim with twisted wire decoration in this notch

http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...m%20dratem.jpg

Pic 18 Another example of wire braid in this notch

Sidney · 29th January 2010, 12:27 PM

I am adding any informations, which I have discovered

Information are from sources of the Stockholm Historiska Museet (SHM) and from personel communication with mrs Charlotte Hedenstierna Jonson , 1:e antikvarie - Senior Curator of SHM

http://mis.historiska.se/mis/sok/bild.asp?uid=20997

http://mis.historiska.se/mis/sok/invnr.asp?invnr=19734

Blade

Blade is preserved fragmentary, see pic. 1. There are no traces of pattern welding on the blade. But the condition of the blade is however quite poor and it is difficult to determine any original structure.

Pic. 1 – fragments of sword

Dimensions

assumed from SHM

Whole lenght 102cm

Lenght of the lower guard 105 mm

Lenght of the uppre guard 90 mm

Lenght of whole hilt 171 mm

Width od blade 65 mm

Thickness of lower guard 26mm

Thickness of upper guard 30mm

Individual dimensions are in right proportions

Calculated dimensions

As a reference was a lenght of the lower guard. See pic 2 and 3, which are in scale 1:1.

Pic. 2 anteroposterior wiev, scale 1:1

Pic 3 lateral wiev, scale 1:1

Height of lower guard 21mm

Height of pommel 33mm
Width of the foot of pommel 79mm
Thickness of the foot of pommel 28mm

Height of upper guard 21-22mm

Width of the handle in the lower part 30mm, in the upper part 19mm
Lenght of handle 90mm

Thickness of the handle in the upper part 3mm, in the middle 4mm

Shape

See pic 2,3,4,5,6,7 – different wievs of the sword.

Pic 4 Color wiev of sword

Pic. 5 Another color wiev

Pic. 6 Another color wiev

Pic 7 Blackandwhite wiev

Sidney · 29th January 2010, 12:31 PM

Continuation....

Sword type H

Both guards have quite pointed ends. According to pic 3, the faces of guards are ligth convex.

From below are visible rivets fastening pammel to upper guard. Between pommel and upper guard is visible notch wide about 2mm, see pic 8. Pommel sharply taper to a point in anteroposterior wiev, in lateral wiev is curvature convex. Edge of pommel is not sharp, but with narrow facet about 3mm wide, see pic 14. Lower and upper guard are continously eliptic with pointed ends, see pic. 7a.

Pic. 7a Wiev from below

Pic 8 Detail of pommel and notch between pommel and upper guard

Pic. 9 Pommel in scale 1:1

Pic.10 Pommel in scale 2:1.

Pic. 11 Pommel in scale 4:1.

Pic. 12 Lower guard in scale 1:1

Sidney · 29th January 2010, 12:32 PM

Continuation....

Decoration

All faces are adorned with tausiert decoration from interlacing lozenges from red and white metal. Width of lozenges are 6-7mm, height also 6-7mm, and width of connecting strips are about 1-2mm.

There are four rectangular dots in every lozenges, in the picture 13 are highlighted by yellow dots.

Edge of pommel is adorned by narrow lines in shape of letter V from red and white metal. Width of this strips is about 0,75mm, see pic 14, where are in scale 4:1 .

Special is executed passage of decoration to ends of guards – see pic. 8, 11 and 15.

Decoration of the upper and lower faces of the upper and lower guard is formed by plating with the yelow metal, see pic. 7a.

Pic. 13 Pommel with highlited „dotes“

Obr. 14 Wiev of decoration of pommel from side, scale 4:1

Obr. 15 Detail of the adornment of the lower guard in scale of 2:1

Material of decoration – according to SHM, white metal is certainly silver, red metal is copper. Today visible copper is only foundation for ultimate surface created by golden copper alloy. Pure copper was not visible at all. Traces of golden copper alloy are visible on the faces of the pommel and guards – see pic. 4 and 11. Upper and lower faces of the upper and lower guard are also plated probabaly by the same golden copper alloy – see pic. 7a.

„Dots“ lying in every lozenges were probably from another colour copper alloy than the rest of the hilt. Most of the rectangular dots however show the underlying reddish copper. Nevertheless, as for the materials of the decoration of the hilt it is difficult to determine the contents without a SEM analysis.

The groove between pommel and upper guard / see pic. 8/ indicates that there possibly has been a braid or twisted wire between the upper guard and the pommel but there are no visible remains. For example you could see pic. 16, 17, and wider one in 19.

Pic. 16 Sword from Novgorod with copper alloy plating and twisted wire in notch between pommel and upper guard

Pic. 17 Sword from Kilmainheim with twisted wire decoration in this notch

Pic 18 Another example of wire braid in this notch

Rick · 2nd February 2010, 05:35 PM

Jeff Pringle · 9th February 2010, 03:20 PM

Excellent, Sidney - take the bull by the horns and run with it!

I wonder if the variation in copper alloy colors could be due in part to dezincification, where oxidiation preferentially removes the non-copper alloy elements?

25th November 2009, 04:09 PM	#4
Jeff Pringle Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 189	The Historiska Museet has done an awesome job digitizing details about some of the items in their collection. It is cool when a museum puts good photos of their collection on line, but the SHM takes it way farther than that. Here is one of the photos of the sword in question - http://mis.historiska.se/mis/sok/bild.asp?uid=20997 Following the inventory # 19734:36, you can find your way to images of the hand-written collection notes as well as the typed inventory notes and images of the sword and the other items from that grave and that dig. For sword research it is an amazing trove of information. http://mis.historiska.se/mis/sok/invnr.asp?invnr=19734 Alas, I don’t really read Swedish, but even so it was easy to run down some details on the sword. Inventory #19734:36 Find place: Gotland, Halla, Broa Viking period, acquired 1931. The handwritten notes for the grave describe two swords and one spear etc. . This is presumably the first sword, described as broken in three parts (“tre delar” in the notes next to the photo). (photo 1) L- 102cm Hilt? L - 17.1cm Over ? L- 9cm Under? L- 10.5cm Blade width – 6.5cm The other sword is described as having a type H hilt and the drawing shows more breaks (photo 2) Moving to the Museum’s Iron Age catalog, the grave goods are described differently, the second sword has lost its hilt (photo 3) This blade has the right inventory #, and is in more pieces so must be the second sword’s blade (photo 4) The ‘Fig. 11’ mentioned in the museum notes is also in the Järnålderskatalog, and shows a side view of the pommel. (photo 5) I love this museum!! Attached Images

25th November 2009, 08:27 PM	#6
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	Hi Sidney, If you're really interested in making an exact copy, what I'd really suggest doing is going to Stockholm with a caliper micrometer and making plan measurements off the blade. Photos and notes will only go so far, and what you're missing is a three-dimensional description of the piece. The museum may be interested if you're willing to give them a copy of your data, and/or photos of your replica sword. They might find that useful in their educational work. Albion Swords uses this approach, and you might want to contact them for advice on how to "take the lines" off a museum sword. Best, F Last edited by fearn; 25th November 2009 at 08:41 PM.

22nd November 2009, 08:47 PM	#1
Sidney Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 12	More information about so called Broa sword Hallo Do you have anybody more information about sword from Broa, Fare island, Gotland? /See below/. I would like to make exact copy of this weapon, but I have only few images. Do you know any citation of literaure, descriptions, pictures etc? Thanks Sidney

24th November 2009, 04:00 AM	#2
kisak Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Stockholm Posts: 182	The only help I can provide is to point out that "Fare island" should probably be Fårö ("Sheep Island").

25th November 2009, 12:52 AM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,738	Hi Sidney, Interesting question, and I'm curious....what reference is this photo from? Is there any text describing this weapon, which primarily seems 'Petersen Type I'. This weapon itself is noted in the holdings of the museum in Stockholm. It would be interesting if they could add more detail. Here, the site itself evolved from the original forums on Viking swords with Dr. Lee Jones. The book which he helped produce by Ian Pierce titled "Swords of the Viking Age" is a fantastic resource on these swords. Specifically on this exact sword, I have not found other reference as yet. Hopefully those here more familiar with this field might help. Please tell us more OK? All the best, Jim

25th November 2009, 05:19 PM	#5
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,738	Now thats some impressive research!!! Well done Jeff and thank you! I agree, that museum is fantastic, and its really great to see some interest in these early swords, after all our 'namesake' around here Viking sword. Sidney thank you for posting this, and I hope you'll keep us posted on your project. All best regards, Jim

1st December 2009, 03:25 PM	#7
Sidney Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 12	Thank you very much I will try to send a questions to Stockholm muzeum. I dont have enough time and money go to Stockholm Your information are very interesting and impressiv. I will work up it. It take a lot of time, but I wil glad to post my project after finishing. Best regards Sidney

29th January 2010, 12:14 PM	#8
Sidney Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 12	I am adding any informations, which I have discovered Information are from sources of the Stockholm Historiska Museet (SHM) and from personel communication with mrs Charlotte Hedenstierna Jonson , 1:e antikvarie - Senior Curator of SHM http://mis.historiska.se/mis/sok/bild.asp?uid=20997 http://mis.historiska.se/mis/sok/invnr.asp?invnr=19734 Blade Blade is preserved fragmentary, see pic. 1. There are no traces of pattern welding on the blade. But the condition of the blade is however quite poor and it is difficult to determine any original structure. Pic. 1 – fragments of sword Dimensions assumed from SHM Whole lenght 102cm Lenght of the lower guard 105 mm Lenght of the uppre guard 90 mm Lenght of whole hilt 171 mm Width od blade 65 mm Thickness of lower guard 26mm Thickness of upper guard 30mm Individual dimensions are in right proportions Calculated dimensions As a reference was a lenght of the lower guard. See pic 2 and 3, which are in scale 1:1. http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...redu%201_1.jpg Pic. 2 anteroposterior wiev, scale 1:1 http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...boku%201_1.jpg Pic 3 lateral wiev, scale 1:1 Height of lower guard 21mm Height of pommel 33mm Width of the foot of pommel 79mm Thickness of the foot of pommel 28mm Height of upper guard 21-22mm Width of the handle in the lower part 30mm, in the upper part 19mm Lenght of handle 90mm Thickness of the handle in the upper part 3mm, in the middle 4mm Shape See pic 2,3,4,5,6,7 – different wievs of the sword. http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...arevny%201.jpg Pic 4 Color wiev of sword http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...arevny%202.jpg Pic. 5 Another color wiev http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...arevny%203.jpg Pic. 6 Another color wiev http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...d%20CB%205.jpg Pic 7 Blackandwhite wiev Sword type H Both guards have quite pointed ends. According to pic 3, the faces of guards are ligth convex. From below are visible rivets fastening pammel to upper guard. Between pommel and upper guard is visible notch wide about 2mm, see pic 8. Pommel sharply taper to a point in anteroposterior wiev, in lateral wiev is curvature convex. Edge of pommel is not sharp, but with narrow facet about 3mm wide, see pic 14. Lower and upper guard are continously eliptic with pointed ends, see pic. 7a. http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...%20zespodu.jpg Pic. 7a Wiev from below http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...%20hlavice.jpg Pic 8 Detail of pommel and notch between pommel and upper guard http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...vice%201_1.jpg Pic. 9 Pommel in scale 1:1 http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...ice%202xzv.jpg Pic.10 Pommel in scale 2:1. http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...%204x%20zv.jpg Pic. 11 Pommel in scale 4:1. http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...tity%201_1.jpg Pic. 12 Lower guard in scale 1:1 Decoration All faces are adorned with tausiert decoration from interlacing lozenges from red and white metal. Width of lozenges are 6-7mm, height also 6-7mm, and width of connecting strips are about 1-2mm. There are four rectangular dots in every lozenges, in the picture 13 are highlighted by yellow dots. Edge of pommel is adorned by narrow lines in shape of letter V from red and white metal. Width of this strips is about 0,75mm, see pic 14, where are in scale 4:1 . Special is executed passage of decoration to ends of guards – see pic. 8, 11 and 15. Decoration of the upper and lower faces of the upper and lower guard is formed by plating with the yelow metal, see pic. 7a. http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...ny%20bronz.jpg Pic. 13 Pommel with highlited „dotes“ http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...oku%204xzv.jpg Obr. 14 Wiev of decoration of pommel from side, scale 4:1 http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...%202x%20zv.jpg Obr. 15 Detail of the adornment of the lower guard in scale of 2:1 Material of decoration – according to SHM, white metal is certainly silver, red metal is copper. Today visible copper is only foundation for ultimate surface created by golden copper alloy. Pure copper was not visible at all. Traces of golden copper alloy are visible on the faces of the pommel and guards – see pic. 4 and 11. Upper and lower faces of the upper and lower guard are also plated probabaly by the same golden copper alloy – see pic. 7a. „Dots“ lying in every lozenges were probably from another colour copper alloy than the rest of the hilt. Most of the rectangular dots however show the underlying reddish copper. Nevertheless, as for the materials of the decoration of the hilt it is difficult to determine the contents without a SEM analysis. The groove between pommel and upper guard / see pic. 8/ indicates that there possibly has been a braid or twisted wire between the upper guard and the pommel but there are no visible remains. For example you could see pic. 16, 17, and wider one in 19. http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...%20zdobeni.jpg Pic. 16 Sword from Novgorod with copper alloy plating and twisted wire in notch between pommel and upper guard http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...eny%20drat.jpg Pic. 17 Sword from Kilmainheim with twisted wire decoration in this notch http://livinghistory.cz/~sidney/Zbra...m%20dratem.jpg Pic 18 Another example of wire braid in this notch

29th January 2010, 12:27 PM	#9
Sidney Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 12	I am adding any informations, which I have discovered Information are from sources of the Stockholm Historiska Museet (SHM) and from personel communication with mrs Charlotte Hedenstierna Jonson , 1:e antikvarie - Senior Curator of SHM http://mis.historiska.se/mis/sok/bild.asp?uid=20997 http://mis.historiska.se/mis/sok/invnr.asp?invnr=19734 Blade Blade is preserved fragmentary, see pic. 1. There are no traces of pattern welding on the blade. But the condition of the blade is however quite poor and it is difficult to determine any original structure. Pic. 1 – fragments of sword Dimensions assumed from SHM Whole lenght 102cm Lenght of the lower guard 105 mm Lenght of the uppre guard 90 mm Lenght of whole hilt 171 mm Width od blade 65 mm Thickness of lower guard 26mm Thickness of upper guard 30mm Individual dimensions are in right proportions Calculated dimensions As a reference was a lenght of the lower guard. See pic 2 and 3, which are in scale 1:1. Pic. 2 anteroposterior wiev, scale 1:1 Pic 3 lateral wiev, scale 1:1 Height of lower guard 21mm Height of pommel 33mm Width of the foot of pommel 79mm Thickness of the foot of pommel 28mm Height of upper guard 21-22mm Width of the handle in the lower part 30mm, in the upper part 19mm Lenght of handle 90mm Thickness of the handle in the upper part 3mm, in the middle 4mm Shape See pic 2,3,4,5,6,7 – different wievs of the sword. Pic 4 Color wiev of sword Pic. 5 Another color wiev Pic. 6 Another color wiev Pic 7 Blackandwhite wiev

29th January 2010, 12:31 PM	#10
Sidney Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 12	Continuation.... Sword type H Both guards have quite pointed ends. According to pic 3, the faces of guards are ligth convex. From below are visible rivets fastening pammel to upper guard. Between pommel and upper guard is visible notch wide about 2mm, see pic 8. Pommel sharply taper to a point in anteroposterior wiev, in lateral wiev is curvature convex. Edge of pommel is not sharp, but with narrow facet about 3mm wide, see pic 14. Lower and upper guard are continously eliptic with pointed ends, see pic. 7a. Pic. 7a Wiev from below Pic 8 Detail of pommel and notch between pommel and upper guard Pic. 9 Pommel in scale 1:1 Pic.10 Pommel in scale 2:1. Pic. 11 Pommel in scale 4:1. Pic. 12 Lower guard in scale 1:1

29th January 2010, 12:32 PM	#11
Sidney Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 12	Continuation.... Decoration All faces are adorned with tausiert decoration from interlacing lozenges from red and white metal. Width of lozenges are 6-7mm, height also 6-7mm, and width of connecting strips are about 1-2mm. There are four rectangular dots in every lozenges, in the picture 13 are highlighted by yellow dots. Edge of pommel is adorned by narrow lines in shape of letter V from red and white metal. Width of this strips is about 0,75mm, see pic 14, where are in scale 4:1 . Special is executed passage of decoration to ends of guards – see pic. 8, 11 and 15. Decoration of the upper and lower faces of the upper and lower guard is formed by plating with the yelow metal, see pic. 7a. Pic. 13 Pommel with highlited „dotes“ Obr. 14 Wiev of decoration of pommel from side, scale 4:1 Obr. 15 Detail of the adornment of the lower guard in scale of 2:1 Material of decoration – according to SHM, white metal is certainly silver, red metal is copper. Today visible copper is only foundation for ultimate surface created by golden copper alloy. Pure copper was not visible at all. Traces of golden copper alloy are visible on the faces of the pommel and guards – see pic. 4 and 11. Upper and lower faces of the upper and lower guard are also plated probabaly by the same golden copper alloy – see pic. 7a. „Dots“ lying in every lozenges were probably from another colour copper alloy than the rest of the hilt. Most of the rectangular dots however show the underlying reddish copper. Nevertheless, as for the materials of the decoration of the hilt it is difficult to determine the contents without a SEM analysis. The groove between pommel and upper guard / see pic. 8/ indicates that there possibly has been a braid or twisted wire between the upper guard and the pommel but there are no visible remains. For example you could see pic. 16, 17, and wider one in 19. Pic. 16 Sword from Novgorod with copper alloy plating and twisted wire in notch between pommel and upper guard Pic. 17 Sword from Kilmainheim with twisted wire decoration in this notch Pic 18 Another example of wire braid in this notch

2nd February 2010, 05:35 PM	#12
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,262

9th February 2010, 03:20 PM	#13
Jeff Pringle Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 189	Excellent, Sidney - take the bull by the horns and run with it! I wonder if the variation in copper alloy colors could be due in part to dezincification, where oxidiation preferentially removes the non-copper alloy elements?